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Japanese Painted Fern

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Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum)An excellent choice for adding fine textures to garden beds and borders; features a low growing habit with arching grey green fronds with silver variegations and deep red midribs; easy to grow, requiring little to no maintenance; shade loving variety

Characteristics

Average Landscape Height:
18 inches
Average Landscape Width:
24 inches
Growth Rate:
slow
Genus:
Athyrium
Species:
nipponicum
Cultivar:
Pictum
Summer Foliage Color:
gray green
Minimum Light:
shade
Maximum Light:
partial shade
Minimum Moisture:
moist
Maximum Moisture:
wet
Plant Form:
arching
Canopy:
closed
Pruning:
best if not pruned
Pollution Tolerance:
medium
Other Species Names:
Crested Japanese Painted Fern
Branching:
herbaceous
Density:
dense

Ornamental Features

Japanese Painted Fern is primarily valued in the garden for its cascading habit of growth. Its attractive ferny bipinnately compound leaves emerge deep purple in spring, turning grayish green in color with showy silver variegation throughout the season. The burgundy stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Japanese Painted Fern is a dense herbaceous perennial with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

Planting & Growing

Japanese Painted Fern will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

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