Beech fern

Beech fern: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, creeping fern 20–30 cm tall that slowly forms a group 40 cm wide or more.

Fronds

Narrowly triangular, once divided into deeply cut segments; the lowest pair points obliquely downwards and forwards.

Colour

Pale to fresh green, softly hairy. The fronds die back in autumn.

Stalk

Thin and longer than the frond, which therefore stands at an angle above the ground.

Spores

Small, round spore clusters without a covering membrane, near the edge of the segments; ferns do not flower.

Roots

Thin, creeping rhizomes just below the surface.

Plants: March–May and September–October

Why grow it?

• A fine, pale green ground cover for acid, moist soil in the shade.
• Native: it fits perfectly into a natural woodland garden or along a shady stream.
• The soft, slightly hairy fronds bring light to dark corners.
• Small and unobtrusive: lovely between stones, tree roots and along a path.
• Almost no work: the old fronds rot down by themselves, so no pruning is needed.

Beech fern: where does it grow best?

• Partial shade to shade, for example under deciduous trees, on the north side of a wall or along a shady stream.
• Loose, humus-rich, acid to neutral soil: sand or loam, with plenty of leaf mould. No lime.
• Moist to wet: cool and moisture-retentive, never drying out. It feels at home along a stream or pond edge.
• A sheltered spot without strong wind and without competition from vigorous spreaders.
• Plant 25–30 cm apart; the group then closes in two to three years.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Wood anemone: Flowers in March–April, before the fern fronds unfurl, in the same woodland soil.
• Wood sorrel: A low, native ground cover for acid, moist woodland soil.
• Bluebell: Blue bells in April–May under deciduous trees, a native spring flower.
• Oak fern: Another small, creeping native fern that often grows in the same places in the wild.
• Hosta: Large, broad leaves as a calm contrast to the fine fern fronds.

Beech fern: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant from March to May or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor too dry.
2. Loosen the soil and work in plenty of leaf mould or rotted tree leaves.
3. Dig a shallow hole slightly wider than the pot and lay the rhizomes just below the surface, no deeper than before.
4. Leave 25–30 cm between plants and firm the soil gently.
5. Water thoroughly straight away, ideally with rainwater, and keep the soil well moist for the first few weeks.
6. Spread a thin layer of leaf mould between the plants as a mulch.

Care

Water

Water in dry spells, ideally with rainwater: tap water is often limy. The soil must never dry out.

Feeding

Not needed: a layer of leaf mould in spring is enough. No chemical fertiliser and no lime.

Mulching

Leave fallen tree leaves where they lie: they rot down into the loose, acid woodland soil it likes best.

Weeding

Weed carefully by hand until the group has closed; hoeing damages the shallow rhizomes.

Old fronds

The fronds rot away by themselves in autumn and winter. Leave them.

Tip: Give it cool, acid and always moist soil with plenty of leaf mould, for example along a shady stream or pond edge. Water with rainwater and leave fallen leaves where they lie.

Beech fern: when to prune it?

When: No pruning is needed: the fronds die back in autumn and rot down by themselves into a natural mulch.

How:

• Leave the dead fronds where they are: they protect the rhizomes and feed the soil.
• Fronds that dry up in a dry summer can be cut off; the plant regrows the following spring.
• If it spreads too far, cut off the edges with a spade in spring.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April, cut a piece of the group with rhizomes and some soil and replant it elsewhere at once. Water well.

Spores

In summer collect ripe spores and sow them on sterile, moist compost under glass. It takes patience: small ferns only appear after several months.

Beech fern: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The fronds die back in autumn; there is nothing to see in winter. Mark the spot so you do not dig into it by mistake in spring.
• Leave fallen tree leaves on the group as a natural winter blanket.
• In a pot: stand it against a sheltered wall and do not let the compost dry out.

Diseases and pests

• Dried-up fronds: Brown, shrivelled fronds in summer from drought or too much sun. Water, mulch and if necessary move it to a cooler, shadier spot.
• Yellow fronds: Pale, yellow fronds in limy soil or from limy tap water. Use rainwater and work in plenty of leaf mould.
• Smothered: Vigorous neighbours or weeds grow over the low group. Give the fern a place of its own and weed by hand.
• Slugs: Sometimes eat the young fronds in spring. Pick them off in the evening or lure them under a plank as a hiding place.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Spread leaf mould.
• April: Plant or divide.
• May: New fronds unfurl. Keep an eye on slugs.
• June: Water in dry spells, ideally with rainwater.
• July: Water in dry spells. Collect ripe spores.
• August: Water in dry spells.
• September: Plant. Collect ripe spores.
• October: Plant. The fronds turn colour and die back.
• November: Leave fallen tree leaves as a winter blanket.

Did you know?

• You recognise it at once by the lowest pair of segments, which points obliquely downwards and forwards.
• ‘Connectilis’ refers to the segments, which are joined to each other along the midrib by a narrow green wing, except for the lowest pair.
• It used to be called Thelypteris phegopteris; you will still find that name in older books.