All native plants

A LITTLE MORE LIFE

Northern maidenhair fern

Adiantum pedatum

Lacy fronds shelter small woodland animals and provide material for bird nests.

Adiantum pedatum, fronds
KM · CC BY 2.0

MAKE IT FEEL AT HOME

A spot to thrive.

Keep the soil rich, moist, and well drained; delicate fronds can brown in hot, dry weather.

Sunlight
Shade
Soil moisture
Average moisture
Mature size
1–3 ft tall · 1½–3 ft wide
Season of interest
Spring–fall foliage
Hardiness
USDA zones 3–8
Garden role
Delicate, arching fern texture

ONE GOOD SWAP

Instead of japanese painted fern.

Athyrium niponicum

Try northern maidenhair fern for delicate, arching fern texture.

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Photo credits & licenses

Northern maidenhair fern: KM · CC BY 2.0
Japanese painted fern: ProteinBiochemist · CC BY 2.0

Resized, converted to WebP, and cropped in the layout. Each photo retains its listed license. All photo credits