Athyrium asplenioides
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Athyrium filix-femina var. asplenioides
- Phonetic Spelling
- uh-THEE-ree-um as-pleh-nee-OY-deez
- Description
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Southern Lady Fern is a 2-3 foot fern with lacy, broad deciduous leaves. Its native habitat in the eastern USA is thickets, shaded woods, swamps, streams, riverbanks, and acid bogs. It is easy to grow if given the right conditions. The light green fronds and reddish stems will form a lovely carpet in the shade garden.
Grow Southern Lady Fern in shady areas in organically rich, well-drained medium moisture soils. It withstands sun and dry soils better than most ferns. Enjoy the delicate lacy foliage in forests, along a stream bank, or at the edge of a woodland pond.
VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Athyrium
- Species:
- asplenioides
- Family:
- Aspleniaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , LA , MA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Provides cover for wildlife and parts are used in bird nest construction.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer, Heavy Shade
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Fern
- Native Plant
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Ascending
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. Spores on display from May to September. This plan reproduces via spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Pinnatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The 2-3 feet long and 10 inches across light green lacy fronds are pinnate or pinnatifid lanceolate and grow in a circular clump. Each frond has 20-30 non-opposite pinnae that are elliptic with pointed tips. Pinnae are then divided into lanceolate to oblong pinnules. Fronds are widest below the center. The reproductive structures (sori & indusia) are located on the undersides of the pinnules.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Reddish stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
