Silver Falls Painted Fern

Perhaps you don’t find ferns especially attractive, because, well, they are ‘green’. That isn’t always true, though, and the most striking exception is the Silver Falls Painted Fern. Yes, it really does look ‘painted’, as though some skilled artist had taken silver, gray, green and purple-red and decorated it for an elegant party. The coloring is especially striking in spring and early summer, during cooler weather, when the silver really sparkles, and the purple-red stems make a striking contrast. Colors may soften during summer, but often brighten again in fall. It forms a dense mound of arching fronds up to 2 feet tall and wide, making a fabulous splash in any shady part of your garden, and perfect for a shady rock-garden, beside a pond, among hostas and other ferns, or in a pot – perfect on a terrace table. It looks stunning, but it isn’t hard to grow, and is a fabulous addition to your garden, or a great gift for family and friends.

• Striking foliage of silver-green, with purple-red fronds
• Perfect edger and filler for moist, shaded areas
• Easy to grow and versatile in the garden
• Reliably hardy even in zone 4
• Good choice for pots and shaded planters

The Silver Falls Painted Fern will happily grow in ordinary garden soil, preferring richer and moist soils if you can, but otherwise very easy to grow. It is hardy right into zone 4 and all you need to do is once a year cut back the dead leaves – in fall or in early spring, before new growth. Pests and diseases don’t bother it at all, and it is ignored by both rabbits and deer. Plants in pots should be buried in the garden for winter in zones 4 and 5 – in warmer zones it will survive outdoors in the pot. A great addition to any garden, and an ideal choice for anyone who wants more than green from their ferns.