A beautiful, delicate looking fern, usually grown as a house plant but we have found to be relatively cold tolerant. Our outdoor trials have had them tolerate short spells at 2c without damage and being root hardy down to around -6c. Below freezing ‘the usually evergreen’ foliage does get cut back by the cold but as long as the rootstock has not frozen new growth has appeared from the base by late spring. If the ground does not freeze then it seems to be quite capable of recovering from short spells of cold. Ideally plant in a sheltered, shaded spot with a moist but well drained, neutral to alkaline soil.
It is a tufted, rhizomatous fern that has smooth black stems with almost triangular, pinnate fronds in a lush, light green. It is quite a small fern usually only reaching a height of about 20 to 30cm tall with a spread of up to 50cm.
If growing as a houseplant it does require high humidity but good ventilation. Although most advise regular mist spraying we have found the foliage remains cleaner and healthier if positioned on a gravel tray with water constantly topped up just below the top of the gravel to create a humid environment around the plant. Position in a bright spot during the winter. During the summer move to a more shaded location making sure it is out of direct, midday, summer sunlight.
Sent as a young plant in a 9cm pot. Sent as dormant plants if ordered in Winter. Our plants are exposed to cold in winter as we work to producing more cold hardy stock.
