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Japanese Painted Fern
Athyrium niponicum
Japanese Painted Fern is grown for its foliage rather than flowers, giving the garden structure and color all season long.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Japanese Painted Fern
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 1.3 ft tall and 1.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 3 years.
When to plant Japanese Painted Fern
Plant Japanese Painted Fern in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Good to know about Japanese Painted Fern
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
The silver-and-wine color is light-dependent: it glows in bright dappled shade with gentle morning sun, mutes to gray-green in deep shade, and scorches in hot afternoon sun. per NC State and Clemson
Zone range varies by source
NC State lists zones 4 to 9, Missouri Botanical Garden 3 to 8. The stored 4 to 8 is a fair center; check your own winters. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits seldom bother it, but it is not deer-proof: Maryland ranks it 'Seldom Damaged,' below the top fern tier, so protect it where deer pressure is high. per NC State and University of Maryland
Safe around pets
Regarded non-toxic: this true fern is absent from the ASPCA toxic lists and NC State gives it no poison rating. Note asparagus fern, not a true fern, is toxic. per ASPCA and NC State
Dies back every winter
The fronds die back completely in autumn and the plant re-emerges from its rhizome in spring. Cut the old fronds away after they collapse or in early spring. per NC State and Clemson
Slow, stays put
It spreads only slowly by short rhizomes into a widening clump or loose patch, never running like ostrich fern, so it stays where you plant it and divides easily. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
What pairs well with Japanese Painted Fern
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Rhododendron
Shares part shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 5.9 ft, for the layer behind it.
Northern Sea Oats
Shares part shade and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Christmas Fern
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Camellia
Shares part shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 6.6 ft, for the layer behind it; they only overlap in zones 7 to 8.
Bergenia
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Hellebore
Shares part shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Autumn Fern
Shares part shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Holly Fern
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Try Japanese Painted Fern with its top companions in a garden →
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