Black Lady Fern Athyrium niponicum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
- Athyrium niponicum var. pictum
- Phonetic Spelling
- a-THEE-ree-um nip-PO-nih-kum
- Description
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The Japanese painted fern is a herbaceous perennial in the Spleenwort family (Aspleniaceae). Its origin is East Asia, where it grows in rich woodlands.
This plant prefers partial to full 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.
The best cultivars have striking silver, green, purple, or red fronds. It grows about 2 feet high by 2 feet wide and adds growth slowly over time. Plants spread by compact, creeping and branching rhizomes, eventually forming a clump.
This easy-to-grow fern produces new fronds late in the spring and is not aggressive. It is a great addition as a front border plant in a shaded area, in a woodland area, near water, or in a shade or rock 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 Garden: Part Sun-Part Shade Garden Rock Wall Garden at Scott Arboretum Sun to Shade Garden in Craven County
- 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
- Herbaceous Perennial
- 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
