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Athyrium niponicum var. pictum ‘Silver Falls’ (Painted Lady Fern)

Painted Lady Fern 'Silver Falls', Athyrium niponicum f. metallicum 'Silver Falls', Athyrium niponicum 'Silver Falls'

AGM Award
Athyrium Niponicum var. Pictum 'Silver Falls',Painted Lady Fern 'Silver Falls', Athyrium niponicum f. metallicum 'Silver Falls', Athyrium niponicum 'Silver Falls', Shade plants, shade perennial, plants for shade, plants for wet soil, Silver Foliage Plant

Noted for its superb silver fronds and long-lasting color, Athyrium niponicum var. pictum ‘Silver Falls’ (Japanese Painted Fern) is a very elegant deciduous fern forming a large rosette of arching, strikingly refined, lance-shaped, bipinnate fronds. Lustrous, the fronds are soft gray-green with a strong silvery overlay accented by contrasting purple-red midribs. Slowly spreading, this fern is easy to grow and one of the most rewarding. Low maintenance, pest and disease free.

  • Clump-forming, it easily grows up to 12-18 in. tall and wide (30-45 cm). This plant naturalizes well and can form great colonies if happy.
  • Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its outstanding qualities
  • A part to full shade lover, it is best grown in fertile, humus-rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Do not allow the soil to dry out. Provide a sheltered location.
  • This plant is a great choice for shady beds, borders, underplanting of shrubs, cottage gardens, woodlands, or along streams, ponds, or water gardens.
  • Rabbit, deer, clay, and wet soil tolerant!
  • Dead or damaged fronds may be removed as necessary.
  • Propagate by sowing spores in mid to late summer (cultivars may not come true) or by division in spring

Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 9
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Ferns
Plant Family Athyriaceae
Genus Athyrium
Common names Japanese Painted Fern, Fern
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 24" (60cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance Full Shade, Deer, Rabbit, Clay Soil, Wet Soil
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles Traditional Garden, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden, City and Courtyard
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Athyrium otophorum (Eared Lady Fern)
Athyrium niponicum ‘Godzilla’ (Japanese Painted Fern)
Athyrium niponicum ‘Crested Surf’ (Japanese Painted Fern)
Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum ‘Lady in Red’ (Lady Fern)
Athyrium filix-femina ‘Frizelliae’ (Tatting Fern)
Athyrium filix-femina ‘Lady in Lace’ (Lady Fern)

Recommended Companion Plants

Helleborus Winter Jewels ‘Harlequin Gem’ (Hellebore)
Hosta ‘First Frost’ (Plantain Lily)
Astrantia major ‘Roma’ (Great Masterwort)
Hyacinthoides hispanica ‘Excelsior’ (Spanish Bluebells)
Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart’s Tongue Fern)
Asarum europaeum (European Wild Ginger)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

Best Foliage Plants for Your Garden
30 Great Perennials for Shade
Athyrium (Lady Fern)
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 9
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Ferns
Plant Family Athyriaceae
Genus Athyrium
Common names Japanese Painted Fern, Fern
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 24" (60cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance Full Shade, Deer, Rabbit, Clay Soil, Wet Soil
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles Traditional Garden, Informal and Cottage, Gravel and Rock Garden, City and Courtyard
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Not sure which Athyrium (Lady Fern) to pick?
Compare Now

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