FERNS
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Ferns are wonderful for the shaded woodland garden, blending gentle textures and forms in a green tapestry with little need of
gaudy colors; they are the perfect foil for trilliums and native orchids. Some species will provide something green where little
else stands a chance of growing due to low light levels and adverse moisture conditions. Essential for shady waterfall gardens
and shaded rock gardens, ferns provide graceful fillers and accents all over the garden. They impart a sense of calm to the
landscape and intrigue us as their fiddleheads unfurl. Despite their delicate appearance, ferns are tough and adaptable plants,
most species are easy to grow as long as their wants are understood. They haven't survived for as long as they have without
being quite adaptable. With a bit of help from Dr Storer we finally got around to upgrading our rather pathetic fern listing, the
new additions are either spore grown, or tissue cultured, primarily from Mickel.s collection but also from Judith Jones and
other well-known fern growers.
If you are looking for larger quantities, please mail or fax us and ask for the large quantity wildflower and fern list.
ADIANTUM CAPILLUS VERNUS MICHIGAN FORM ............................... PRICE -$15.00
Betty Blake distributed this years ago, it is from a Michigan collection and hardy in zone 5, most
forms of southern maidenhair are not, it does not appear to be a hybrid, and is absolutely lovely.
*ADIANTUM PEDATUM MAIDEN HAIR FERN .................................... PRICE 1@ $8.00
One of the most delicate and graceful ferns they increase slowly and seldom need restraint,
indeed I can't imagine having too many of them. The fronds magically unfurl atop their shiny
black stems to reveal a swirl of unmatched loveliness. A must for every garden, it prefers a little
lime but will tolerate a wide range of soils.
ASPLENUM PLATYNEURON EBONY SPLEENWORT ....................... PRICE 1@ $8.00
Compact and graceful ferns of exquisite proportion, they lace cliffs with delicate wiry stems set
with small leaflets, the easiest Spleenwort.
ATHYRIUM ANGUSTATUM F. RUBELLUM 'LADY IN RED' ........... PRICE 1@ $19.00
A fantastic selection of the northern form of Lady Fern, which creeps more than the southern
Athyrium filix-femina, this selection features incredible red stems, we have anxiously awaited its
release for the last couple of years from tissue culture and finally they are available.
*ATHYRIUM FILIX-FEMINA LADY FERN ................................................ PRICE 1@ 8.00
This popular fern is among the loveliest medium tall species. It advances rather rapidly showing
off its extremely attractive new growth often with striking red stems. It prefers rather moist
shade.
ATHYRIUM NIPONICUM PICTUM DWARF ......................................... PRICE 1@ $19.00
A dwarf version of the ever-popular Japanese Painted Fern, well known for the elegant blending
of silver and red-purple in the fronds. Among the general public this is probably the most in
demand fern here at the nursery. These are spore grown with some fantastic color forms, color
is somewhat dependant upon light levels; it will tolerate a surprising amount of sun.
CYSTOPTERIS BULBIFERA .................................................................... PRICE 1@ $19.00
Bulblet bladder fern, this native fern is often seen on limestone in the northeast and mid west
but does not demand it, it is fairly easy in cultivation and propagates by means of the bulblets on
the lower surface of the 1.5.-3. arching fronds.
DIPLAZIUM (ATHYRIUM) PYCNOCARPON GLADE FERN ........... PRICE 1@ $12.00
A largely tropical genus of 400 species closely related to Athyrium, Diplazium pycnocarpon is
one of the few temperate species native to moist woodlands in the eastern United States. It is
also commonly known as Narrow Leafed Spleenwort or Tennessee Ostrich fern, elegant narrow
once pinnate fronds can reach 3 ½. if happy, an attractive fern that spreads slowly and is
generally easy to cultivate.
DRYOPTERIS AFFINUS CRISTATA ..................................................... PRICE 1@ $19.00
Crested form of the Golden Scaled Male Fern, with a name like that it should evoke some kind
of imagery, fronds are broadly crested at the tips of the pinnae, it.s a large and attractive fern
that runs 2. to 4. depending on site, it.s erect fronds are the perfect companion for the insatiable
Athyrium felix-femina 'Vernoniae Cristatum'
*DRYOPTERIS CARTHUSIANA (SPINULOSA) TOOTHED WOOD ............ 1@ $8.00
Similar to Leather Wood but with more finely toothed and dissected leaves. I prefer it to Leather
Wood but both make fine, carefree garden plants, and are great for general landscape use.
DRYOPTERIS CYCADINA ....................................................................... PRICE 1@ $19.00
Known as the Shaggy Shield Fern it does have a bit of a Cycad look to it. The masses of black
scales on the frond stems make this widespread semi evergreen Asian species distinct and
easy to identify in the garden.
*DRYOPTERIS FILIX MAS MALE FERN ................................................ PRICE 1@ $8.00
Got Lady Ferns? Perhaps they're lonely? I bet they would like a few Male Ferns to show off for.
This widespread and variable fern is a classic and is circumpolar in distribution, and almost too
well known to need description. Plants grow 2-3 feet tall, and are almost evergreen and provide
striking accent when placed near a fallen log or stump.
DRYOPTERIS FILIX-MAS 'BARNESII' .................................................. PRICE 1@ $19.00
A magnificent stiffly erect variety the slender fronds stand 3. high but are only 4” wide, giving it a
distinctive silhouette in the landscape
DRYOPTERIS FILIX-MAS 'CRISTATA MARTINSDALE' .................. PRICE 1@ $19.00
A selected form of the above, with small crests and a slight upward curve to the frond apex
ending in a pronounced terminal crest; Martinsdale is considered by many to be among the best
of the crested forms. These are from tissue culture and very uniform.
*DRYOPTERIS MARGINALIS LEATHER WOOD FERN ................................. 1@ $8.00
The most evergreen of our native Dryopteris, easily identified by the sori that sit on the pinnule
margins, with handsome leathery glaucous green fronds, it prefers deep rocky pockets of leaf
mould, but it will endure some dryness. A good choice for cut fronds it is the epitome of what
most people want in a fern. I love the crowns in early spring before the crosiers start to unfurl,
sitting there in an inward pointing ring of teeth, surrounded by the outward pointing spokes of
last years stems (sensors to warn of approaching prey), the creature at the bottom of Jabba.s
sand pit comes to mind.
DRYOPTERIS TOKYOENSIS ................................................................... PRICE 1@ $19.00
A favorite of Mickel.s with stiffly erect narrow fronds, slow to increase with a neat refined look. .
DRYOPTERIS X REMOTA ........................................................................ PRICE 1@ $19.00
A rare naturally occurring hybrid between D. affinus x D. expansa, remota is impressive looking
with a shaggy golden-scaled stipe and delicately cut blade, its intermediate between the parents
and fertile, and will spore around if happy.
MATTEUCCIA STRUTHIOPTERIS ......................................................... PRICE 1@ $19.00
The fiddleheads are great dipped in hollandaise sauce, other than that, it is a menace, rapidly
overtaking gardens and growing in some forms to Dicksonia proportions, reaching 9. tall with a
foot high woody trunk, although 6. is more common.
*OSMUNDA CINNAMONEA CINNAMON FERN ................................... PRICE 1@ $8.00
Stately 3' - 5. plants, it likes moist shady places and even waterlogged sites but dislikes alkaline
soils, fertile fronds are cinnamon brown hence the name, stunning en-masse.
*OSMUNDA REGALIS ROYAL FERN ...................................................... PRICE 1@ $2.00
A large species that prefers to dangle its toes in the water, growing to over 6' tall and
occasionally as much as 10.; mass plantings have an almost prehistoric nature, just the thing for
landscaping Komodo dragon pens.
OSMUNDA REGALIS VAR SPECTABILIS ........................................... PRICE 1@ $19.00
An American form of this widespread species, with thinner more widely spaced segments than
in var. regalis, it.s also shorter,
*POLYPODY VIRGINIANUM ..................................................................... PRICE 1@ $8.00
At its best growing on rotting moss covered logs, or rocks, we have them in a woodland trough
with trilliums, Shortia, and Cypripedium, and they are outstanding.
*POLYSTICHUM ACROSTICHOIDES CHRISTMAS FERN ................ PRICE 1@ $8.00
Perhaps the best fern for growing amongst flowers, the leathery brilliant evergreen fronds and
neat upright rosettes, 12" tall are a favorite of mine. Sturdy but non-invasive it prefers alkaline
soil but does well on rock and sand.
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