Before there were dinosaurs, there were ferns. In fact,
they were thriving 200 million years before flowering plants evolved. That may
be the reason they cope so well with extremes. Most of my ferns have come
through rainy, wet years as well as drought conditions with no discernable
problems. And a number of them were still looking remarkably good for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day Saturday. I didn’t post their photos then, so here are a
few ferns that always seem to make it through the first frosts and look good until
the snow arrives.
My top fern for dealing with challenging sites and weather is the always attractive Dryopteris filix-mas ‘Linearis polydactyla’ (Slender Crested Male fern). It's tall and airy, and the end of each frond (leaf to me and you) splits in two. The tip of each pinnule (leaf segment) along the stem also splits. Because it has a fishbone look, that’s what I've always called it. (The true Fishbone fern is Nephrolepis cordifolia so don’t let me be the cause of confusion for you at the nursery).
Dryopteris filix-mas ‘Linearis polydactyla’
My original 'Linearis Polydactyla' is about 13 years old, 30 inches high and almost 3 feet across. It grows in unamended clay soil and gets afternoon sun. Neither condition is ideal but neither seems to faze it. As a result, I've put 'Linearis Polydactyla' in other tough spots where it is also doing well, particularly the dry shade under spruce and maple trees. That merely seems to slow down the growth, which is fine with me.
Dryopteris dilatata ‘Recurvata’ growing with Pulmonaria 'David Ward.'
Dryopteris dilatata ‘Recurvata’ (Recurved Broad Buckler fern) is another noteworthy fern: ten years old, 30 inches high and at least that big around. Growing very well in dryish shade under old Austrian pines and not far from black walnut trees.
Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’ (Golden-Scaled Male fern) was just planted in July and has settle in nicely despite a rather dry summer and fall. I am assuming it will be a star performer like all the other Dryopteris forms in my garden.
Also looking great but not pictured:
Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn fern) which is standing in
a big upright clump; it looks like it’s midsummer instead of November. Polystichum
acrostichoide (Christmas fern) and
Asplenium scolopendirum (Hart’s Tongue fern) are both considered
“evergreen” but that usually means little in a climate that gets as cold and
snowy as ours. They will be bedraggled by Spring but are putting on a nice show
now.
No, this is not a fern but I put it in because it has the
same airy quality. It’s a clump of Carex elata 'Bowles Golden.' I've tried growing this a few times with no success. But finally it seems right at
home and happy. And I’m happy that it’s giving me one last burst of green this late in the year.
CORRECTION: Danger! Sleepy gardener at work. If you looked at this post earlier today, the last image was misidentified as an Iris.
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