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Scientific Name:
Athyrium filix-femina
Pronunciation:
uh-THEER-ee-um FYE-licks FEM-ih-nuh
Common Name:
lady fern
Family Name:
Athyriaceae
Plant Type:
Fern, Weed (horticultural)
Key ID Features:
Fronds deciduous, thrice pinnate, elliptical, grooved rachis, up to 90cm long x 25cm wide, stipe may have long, brown papery scales near the base, arising from a clump (not along a rhizome); sori dot-like on undersides of pinnae, up to 6 per pinnule, indusium light brown, kidney-shaped.

Habit:
Arching
Form:
Vase
Texture:
Fine
Mature Height:
1.3 - 2.0m
Mature Spread:
1.0 - 1.5m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
B.C. east of Cascades
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade, Filtered shade, Deep shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Bog, Humus rich
Water Use:
Moderate, Wetlands
Landscape Uses:
Group or mass planting, Waterside planting, Wetland - bogs, Woodland margin (Caution: poisonous parts)
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown may include A. 'Frizelliae'.

Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Compound, Fern-like
Arrangement:
Basal
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Compound Leaf:
Bipinnate
Colour in Summer:
Green, olive green with a metallic sheen, stems are burgundy
Colour in Fall:
Yellow, Brown
Shapes:
Elliptic, Oblanceolate
Margins:
Pinnately lobed
Additional Info:
Leaves variegated, diamond shaped, cv Minutissima is dwarf growing to 30cm with a spread of 45cm

Inflorescence Type:
Flower Morphology:
Colour (petals):
No flowers
Flower Time at Peak:

Fruit Type:
Sporangium (spores)
Fruit Colour:
Dark-red, Brown
Fruiting Time:
Jul, Aug

Bark or Stem Colour:
n/a
Propagation:
Spore, Division - below ground parts
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Rust (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Rabbit resistant)

Course(s):
  • HORT 2355
Location(s):
  • (GAZ)  GAZebo
  • (GAZN)  GAZebo North
  • (ONW)  Overpass North side West : cv.Lady in Red
  • (PPL)  Pine PLanting
  • (TFL)  Turf Field Lab
  • (TFLS)  Turf Field Lab South
  • (WLG)  WoodLand Garden
Location Map