Japanese painted fern

Japanese painted fern Care

Athyrium niponicum

What is the plant

Athyrium niponicum, the Japanese painted fern, is a species of fern native to East Asia, primarily Japan, North China, Korea and Taiwan. Athyrium niponicum occurs in temperate regions in shady places in the lowlands.

Athyrium niponicum is a deciduous herbaceous plant with a weeping habit, being one of the most colourful garden ferns. It is a terrestrial fern with creeping rhizomes and with a whorl of fronds growing from the basal rootstock. The fronds are triangular shaped blades, 25-40cm (10-16 inch) tall and 15-25cm (6-10 inch) broad, pinnate, with 6-10 pairs of pinnae 4-9cm (1.5-3.5 inch) long and 2-3cm (0.8-1.2 inch) broad, deeply lobed. The fronds are bright green with a dark red-brown stem in the wild plant. This fern has a low and mounding habit, slowly spreading by rhizomes to form dense colonies. The fronds are positioned in a way that creates a horizontal layering effect. Its colorful foliage should be vibrant from early spring until frost, when it will go dormant and reemerge with its excellent foliage the next spring. Mature fronds hold color and contrast with emerging fronds to form a compact clump.

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Humidity

High

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

10°C - 18°C

Hardiness zone

min 8a

Difficulty

Hard

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Good irrigation practices are important. Ferns should be kept moist during active growth period. Water thoroughly the ferns and allow the substrate to dry slightly between waterings. It is best to water early in the day to allow the fronds plenty of time to dry before night time.
Fertilizer
Athyrium niponicum thrives best when are added 5-8cm (2-3 inch) of compost or peat moss to the beds each spring or fall. This treatment should suffice and no additional fertilising is require.
Sunlight
Athyrium niponicum can be grown in sheltered location with partial shade to full shade. To obtain best frond color place these ferns in light shade. Full sun is tolerated with intensive watering.

Disease diagnosis

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Soil
Normal or sandy or clay soils will work well for these ferns. Incorporate lots of well-rotted leaf mould, composted pine needles or garden compost into the planting hole. They will perform well in any rich, evenly moist soil.
Temperature
Athyrium niponicum is very cold hardy. It goes dormant in winter by wilting its folds and stopping the new growth of fronds in late fall when temperatures drop to freezing points. It can be grown in the areas with the lowest winter temperature of −34.4°C (−30°F).
Popularity
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