Good Gardening: Maidenhair Fern

Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum). Note that even
ferns have some color to offer the garden palette come fall.

The lovely maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) is a wonderful addition to a shady garden spot. Its delicate foliage whorled atop wiry black stems nicely complements broad-leaved wildflowers. The fern grows to 3 ft., producing spores in July-August, which is the best way to get new plants. It does reproduce vegetatively, but very slowly.

It's natural habitat is rich moist woods and streambanks, in circumneutral soil. In your garden, this plant does best in well-drained, moist, organic soils - or a comparable situation that mimics its wild environs as much as possible. That said, it isn't terribly fussy. Its whispy demeanor belies its toughness - it can withstand variable situations as witnessed below in this front yard in Brooklyn.