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Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage, form by Stan Shebs

Photo by Stan ShebsView Original Photo

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Kurt Stueber

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Stan Shebs

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Briggs Plant Propagators

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Far Reaches Farm

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Jane Unger

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Sebright Gardens

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Prairie Nursery

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Danger Garden

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Karl Gercens III

Photo of Adiantum pedatum landscape by Karl Gercens III

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Kristine Paulus

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Red Panda Nursery

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Sunshine Farm and Gardens

Photo of Adiantum pedatum foliage by Little Prince of Oregon

Buy Adiantum pedatum

Also Known As

American Maidenhair Fern
Five Finger Maindenhair Fern
Northern Maidenhair Fern
Western Maidenhair Fern

Plant type

fern

size

H: 12"-24"
W: 12"-48"

planting zones

3a-10a

3.5 inch container | $12

USPS Priority Mail shipping rates

Fewer than 12 at Sebright Gardens

1 gallon bagged root ball | $15

Ships UPS, flat charge based on order total

Fewer than 29 at Gossler Farms

2 inch wide, 4-6 inch deep tube | $15.95

Buy button links to nursery site for checkout

37 at Forestfarm

More Options

Adiantum pedatum plant details

Adiantum pedatum is a deciduous fern with green foliage. Grows well with bright shade - shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something humidity tolerant and verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Adiantum pedatum

Plant type: fern
Plant family: adiantaceae, pteridaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 12 IN - 48 IN - wide, 12 IN - 24 IN - tall
Uses: colonizing, container plant, showy, woodland garden

GROWING CONDITIONS for Adiantum pedatum

USDA Zones: 3a - 10a
Sun exposure: bright shade - shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: humidity and verticillium wilt
Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

This eastern U.S. native is a lovely foliaged fern. Wants to grow with plenty of moisture. One of the first ferns exported from England with the first settlers.

By: Gossler Farms

(Northern Maidenhair Fern) Beautiful five-fingered fern 1-2’ tall, clumping to 2’ wide; delicate, deciduous, frilly fronds line contrasty black-wire stems. This one needs shade; consistent moisture in acidic, organically rich, loose soil. One of the hardiest Maidenhairs.

By: Secret Garden Growers

This lovely, delicate-looking, deciduous fern is native to the eastern United States where it is found growing in forested slopes, gully bottoms and damp shady woods. Forming clumps 1.5' to 2' tall and featuring finely-textured fronds on wiry brown to black stems. The young fiddleheads emerge pink in spring, before unfurling to light green leaflets arranged in a wide fan. The fine foliage is excellent for use in cut flower arrangements. This fern is a wonderful addition to any shady spot. PSh-S/M

By: Forestfarm

Adiantum pedatum is a popular fern with purple-black stems and fan-shaped leaves carrying small green leaflets. Deciduous.

By: Little Prince of Oregon

One of my very favorite ferns, a little slow at the starting gate, but give the "Maiden Hair" fern a year or three and she makes a beautiful display. Full shade to part sun. Height gets up to 24" and slowly forms a colony.

By: Sunshine Farm and Gardens

This native fern, with its horseshoe whorl of delicate green foliage on wiry dark stems is so elegant, but it is not a plant for dry soil, as this fern thrives in a humus rich evenly moist soil, with good winter drainage. In the right conditions it will grow to 2' tall and over time form clumps as wide.

By: Avant Gardens

Black stems fork in half with 3-5 finger-like divisions, each with their own soft, somewhat frilly apple-green leaflets extending in a horseshoe. Deciduous, nicely spreading fern. Really lovely. 16"x16"

By: Dancing Oaks Nursery

Adiantum pedatum ~ Purple-black stripes hold fronds that are forked into two major branches that curl with six to eight pinnea per branch. Plant in low sun to full shade & well drained, moist soil. Zones 3 to 8. Height: 18” to 24”. Deciduous.

By: Sebright Gardens

Native to eastern North American on wooded slopes and dampish shade sites, this sweet maidenhair fern has frilly fronds arranged in a circle on wiry, nearly black stems to 1-2' tall in clumps to 1-2' wide. Where happy, can spread by rhizomes to form large colonies, a lovely and delicate groundcover for part to full shade where soil is rich and summer water is plentiful. Often grown indoors as well, tolerating low light. Frost hardy to -40 °F, USDA zone 3.

By: Cistus Nursery

Maidenhair fern is one of the most beautiful ferns for the garden. The fronds are atypical in that they are palmate -- like a hand with fingers. They are held on black stems. Maidenhair fern is a native of BC and is frequently found on deeply shaded steep banks and cliffs. In the garden, however, it is quite amenable to average garden soils in full to part shade. Synonym: A. pedatum.

By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum) thrives in well-drained to slightly damp soil. The gorgeous foliage of this fern makes a perfect foil for other plants in the woodland garden. Excellent for naturalizing on shaded hillsides, or in any protected shady location. Needs protection from wind to look its best. Hardy to Zones 3 - 8.

By: Prairie Nursery

One of the most delicate and graceful ferns they increase slowly and seldom need restraint, indeed I can't imagine having too many of them. The fronds magically unfurl atop their shiny black stems to reveal a swirl of unmatched loveliness. A must for every garden, it prefers a little lime but will tolerate a wide range of soils.

By: Arrowhead Alpines

Tallest and boldest of the Adiantums, growing to 18? tall with clumps to 2' in diameter, creeping by stout rootstocks. Dainty, divided, green fronds are produced on wiry, chocolate stems. For best effect, place near constant moisture around a pond or near a stream. Hardy to below 0F. California.

By: Native Sons

Fronds 12 - 30 inches long, erect-arching, deciduous. Zones 2 - 8. Spreads by short, creeping rhizomes so it forms small colonies. Likes light to medium shade. Lovely and delicate. Gallon pots.

By: Hoot Owl Hollow Nursery

Deciduous.With lances haped fronds that can get up to 14" long, this fern reaches 12-20" in height. These fronds reach out on glossy, dark brown to black stalks. A beautiful textural contrast to your other shade plants. Native to NE America.

By: Greer Gardens Inc.

A NW native hanging out in moist shaded places especially loving mossy cliffs in the cooling mist of a nearby waterfall yet very easy in the garden. Nice black stems holding the fronds. The stems were flattened and used for imbrication in basketry by coastal tribes.

By: Far Reaches Farm

A graceful yet vigorous fern that bears delicate leaflets on fingerlike branchlets that radiate outward from the top of the frond stalks. Thrives in moist shade, where its creeping rhizomes eventually form a colony. Semi evergreen where winters are mild. AGM winner.