Must-Have Plants: Japanese Painted Fern

Japanese Painted Fern - Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'

Must-have plants are among the best for appropriate garden situations. When you need great garden plants for ground cover, naturalizing, wildflower gardens, perennial borders, butterfly gardens, hummingbird gardens, herb gardens, heritage gardens, cutting gardens, woodland gardens, shade gardens, bulb gardens, container gardens, bog gardens, water gardens, rain gardens or xeriscaping, look for the best among our must-have plants.

Name(s): Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum', Athyrium niponicum var. pictum, Japanese Painted Fern

Flower Color: None

Bloom Time: None

Foliage: Herbaceous, metallic gray, reddish/bluish blush

Height/Spread: 12 inches to 18 inches x 12 inches to 18 inches.

Climate Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Sun Exposure: Partial shade to full shade.

Soil Condition: Moist to well-drained, loamy, pH 6.1 to 7.5

Features: Colorful foliage, deer resistant, insect resistant, disease resistant.

Uses: Massed planting, naturalizing, fern collections, woodland gardens, shade gardens and borders.

Comments: Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum', also known as Japanese Painted Fern, is one beautiful perennial. Emerging fronds are metallic gray with reddish/bluish blush. Mature fronds hold their color well and contrast nicely with the emerging fronds. Japanese Painted Fern is winter dormant. It forms clumps.

Japanese Painted Fern is deer, insect and disease resistant. Mature height is 12 inches to 18 inches. Performs well in USDA zones 4 to 9. Japanese Painted Fern requires moist soil, but take care not to over-water. It does well in partial shade to full shade. Space 18 inches to 24 inches. Recommended pH is 6.1 to 7.5.

Return to GoGardenNow.com.