Oriental Ladyfern Athyrium niponicum var. pictum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Athyrium japonicum
- Athyrium niponicum
- Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
- Deparia japonica
- Phonetic Spelling
- a-THEE-ree-um nip-PO-nih-kum PIK-tum
- Description
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The Japanese painted fern is a perennial in the Athyriaceae family. Its striking silver, green, purple, or red fronds slowly spreads by compact to short, creeping and branching rhizomes, forming a clump.
This easy to grow fern produces new fronds late in the spring is not aggressive. This plant prefers partial shade and moist, rich soil, with high organic content. When grown in light shade, the Japanese painted fern has its best color. Excess sunlight washes out the color. As such, it is a great addition as a front border plant in a shaded area, woodland, or shade garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
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 landscapes:
- Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Part Sun-Part Shade Gardens Rock Wall Garden, Scott Arboretum Sun to Shade Garden Border Garden- Pathway
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Silver Falls'
- 'Silver Falls'
- 'Silver Falls'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Silver Falls'
- 'Silver Falls'
- 'Silver Falls'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Athyrium
- Species:
- niponicum
- Family:
- Athyriaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Asia
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- heavy shade; This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Fern
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Clumping
- Creeping
- Vase
- Maintenance:
- Low
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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:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. This plant reproduces via spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Deltoid
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- This plant has up to 20" tricolored fronds of maroon, medium green, and silvery gray that are arching and in a vase-like form. The triangular blade is broadly lance-shaped, bipinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid with toothed or rounded segments. The plant also has green with reddish rachis and pinna bases. This plant produces new fronds throughout the growing season with the first fronds in spring being the most silvery. New fronds may also develop during the summer.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Rock Wall
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Rock Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
