The maidenhair fern is one tough customer. It may look gentle and ladylike, but it's hardy and reliable. Northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum), shown here, used to be a common sight in the wild, before gardeners started digging it to bring home to their own gardens. It's easy to be tempted by the shiny, black stems and feathery quality of its leaves, but make sure you purchase only nursery-grown stock and spare the true wilderness.
Simple green ferns have taken a back seat to flashier ferns, but for the sedate feel of a woodland garden in the shade, you need at least one specimen. Maidenhair ferns may be unostentatious, but they certainly posses a subtle beauty. The white center shading of the fronds give it a glowing quality in the shade.
Adiantum pedatum - Northern maidenhair (USDA Zones 3 - 8, 18" x 24") Alternatives
- Adiantum capillus-veneris - Southern Maidenhair Fern (USDA Zones 7 - 10, 18" x 24", Green with Black Stripes on the Stems)
- Athyrium 'Ghost' (USDA Zones 4 - 8, 24" x 36", Silver/Gray Fronds with Dark Veins)