Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Ursula's Red'
Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Ursula's Red'• Click here to visit our Main Plant List page for current availability of this plant
• common name: Japanese painted fern
• height: 15 to 18 inches
• Light requirements: partial shade, filtered light
• Soil requirements: richly organic soil is best, although adaptable to average soil
• Water requirments: moister than average
• Growth habit: upright, vase shape
• How to propagate: dividing in early summer
• Leaf type: colorful lacy, airy fronds
• Ways to use it: for a shady garden; also grows well in a pot, especially a porous terra cotta pot that “breathes” to raise the surrounding humidity
This fern does not like to dry out, so add compost or some other form of humus when planting, and keep the soil evenly moist during the summer. Her colors are brightest in spring, with silvery leaves and bright red highlights along the midribs. As summer progresses the colors become less intense. A perfect garden fern for the shade. It is also exceptionally nice along a pond in the shade. Ferns seem to go hand-in-hand with anything to do with water. Zones 5 - 8 in the east and Zones 5 - 9 in the west.