Native Plant Trust

Athyrium angustum 'Lady in Red'

red lady fern


A fine textured fern with an outstanding red stipe (stem) and a few brownish scales. Lower growing than the straight species, it still has a soft texture making it very desireablie for a garden. Found in a range of habitats, its able to tolerate more open and sunny locations.

Click on these links to read in detail:  General Description | Benefits | Ecology | References


Height: 2-3 ft
Spread: 2-3 ft
Hardiness Zone: 4-8


Characteristics & Attributes

Cultivation Status
Cultivar
Exposure
Part Shade
Shade
Soil Moisture
Average
Ecoregion
Not Ecotypic in New England
Attracts Wildlife
Other Pollinators/Wildlife
Tolerance
Deer/Rabbit Resistant
Additional Attributes
Low Maintenance
Landscape Use
Specimen
Massing
Growth Habit
Compact/Clumping


North American Distribution


General Description

Bloom Description: No flowers, the fiddleheads are extremely showy as they emerge as a deep cabernet red.

Growth Habit & Shape: A mid-sized, vase shaped fern that grows well in a variety of locations. It readily forms colonies in the shade garden. It makes a stunning specimen in the garden because of the red stems and fine texture.

Soil Preferences: Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forest edges, forests, swamps, woodlands.

Root Description: The roots are an upright rhizome meaning they form individual vase-shaped plants in colonies.

Garden Uses: Shade garden, woodlands, woodland edge, moist woodland, pond edge garden

Best Management & Maintenance: Athyrium angustum is an easy to grow species, tolerating dappled shade to sun and various moisture levels. In sunnier spots it prefers moister soils. The root system of ferns is close to the surface so avoid trampling. This fern readily forms masses of individuals, sometimes fairly close together.

Common Problems: None. Can go dormant in the summer in sunnier/drier locations.

Benefits

Ornamental Value: Fine texture and loose colonies make this a great addition to the garden. This species blends in with numerous plants and is a good accent plant for the garden. The red stems are very showy.

Wildlife Benefits:

Other Practical/Environmental Benefits:

Use in place of: Japanese painted fern

Ecology

Habitat:
Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forest edges, forests, swamps, woodlands


Response to Disturbance: This species is tolerant of a wide range of conditions and it will handle disturbance more readily than fern species that are typically found in deep woods settings. Does not respond well to trampling.

Native State Distributions:
Canada: Greenland; Man., N.B., Nfld., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask.
USA: CT, DE, IL, IN, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, PA, RI, SD, VT, VA, WV, WI


Wetland indicator status: FAC

Companion Plants:
Trillium sp., Hexastylis shuttleworthii, Tiarella cordifolia, Chrysogonum virginianum, Sanguinaria canadensis

References

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red lady fern - Athyrium angustum 'Lady in Red' from Native Plant Trust