Mother Fern
Asplenium bulbiferum
Fresh green, finely-cut fronds emerge from a single crown. Evergreen foliage has a graceful, arching habit that provides excellent contrast in the shady landscape.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | as-PLE-ni-um bulb-IF-er-um |
| Key feature: | Shade Loving |
| Plant type: | Fern |
| Garden style: | Tropical |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Evergreen |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 9 - 11 |
| Light needs: | Full to partial shade |
| Sunset climate zones: | 15 - 17, 20 - 24 |
| Water Needs: | Needs wet or constantly moist soil. |
| Average landscape size: | Moderate growing to 4 ft. tall and 3 ft. wide. |
| Growth rate: | Moderate |
| Landscape uses: | Border, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Specimen, Woodland Garden |
| Blooms: | Does not flower |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 3600 |
| Retailers for this plant: |
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed frequently during growing season with a general purpose fertilizer. Cut back old fronds after new growth begins in spring.
Design Ideas
Mother Ferns are symmetrical in form like a feather-fronded palm. Shelter under awnings or on north-facing exposures. Tuck into shaded porches and nooks in the architecture. Does very well in pots or hanging baskets. Do not grow in sun or where wind could dry its fronds.
Companion Plants
Requires shelter and grows well with Catlin's Giant Carpet Bugle, (Ajuga reptans 'Catlin's Giant'), a carpet-like groundcover with deep blue flowers, the red-flowering Luxuriant Fringed Bleeding Heart, (Dicentra x 'Luxuriant') and spreading Dalmatian Bellflower, (Campanula portenschlagiana), Hosta and a variety of Belgian Indica Azalea.
History
This fern falls into the Polypodiaceae and is naitive to both Australia and New Zealand. It si also known as the "hen and chicks" fern due to the natural vegetative reproduction.
Lore
Mother ferns are called such because of the little offsets that are produced on the fronds which then fall to the ground to produce new plants.
Fresh green, finely-cut fronds emerge from a single crown. Evergreen foliage has a graceful, arching habit that provides excellent contrast in the shady landscape.
Care Information
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed frequently during growing season with a general purpose fertilizer. Cut back old fronds after new growth begins in spring.
Design Ideas
Mother Ferns are symmetrical in form like a feather-fronded palm. Shelter under awnings or on north-facing exposures. Tuck into shaded porches and nooks in the architecture. Does very well in pots or hanging baskets. Do not grow in sun or where wind could dry its fronds.
Companion Plants
Requires shelter and grows well with Catlin's Giant Carpet Bugle, (Ajuga reptans 'Catlin's Giant'), a carpet-like groundcover with deep blue flowers, the red-flowering Luxuriant Fringed Bleeding Heart, (Dicentra x 'Luxuriant') and spreading Dalmatian Bellflower, (Campanula portenschlagiana), Hosta and a variety of Belgian Indica Azalea.
History
This fern falls into the Polypodiaceae and is naitive to both Australia and New Zealand. It si also known as the "hen and chicks" fern due to the natural vegetative reproduction.
Lore
Mother ferns are called such because of the little offsets that are produced on the fronds which then fall to the ground to produce new plants.
| Botanical Pronunciation: | as-PLE-ni-um bulb-IF-er-um |
| Key feature: | Shade Loving |
| Plant type: | Fern |
| Garden style: | Tropical |
| Deciduous/evergreen: | Evergreen |
| Cold hardiness zones: | 9 - 11 |
| Light needs: | Full to partial shade |
| Sunset climate zones: | 15 - 17, 20 - 24 |
| Water Needs: | Needs wet or constantly moist soil. |
| Average landscape size: | Moderate growing to 4 ft. tall and 3 ft. wide. |
| Growth rate: | Moderate |
| Landscape uses: | Border, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Specimen, Woodland Garden |
| Blooms: | Does not flower |
| Foliage color: | Green |
| Item no.: | 3600 |
