Walking Fern

If you're looking for a distinctive and eye-catching plant to add to your landscape, the Walking Fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum) is an excellent choice. This plant, also known as the Hand Fern, is found in the eastern United States and is named for its unique ability to walk across the ground as it generates new growth.

Walking Fern's Characteristics

It is a small fern that grows about 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide. It features delicate, finger-like fronds that radiate from the center of the plant and curve gently outward. The fronds are a bright, glossy green and somewhat leathery texture.

Growing Requirements For Walking Fern

The fern is a relatively easy plant to care for and is well-suited to various growing conditions. It prefers moist, well-draining soil and partial to full shade, making it an excellent choice for woodland gardens or shady landscape areas. It is also tolerant of various soil types, including clay and sand.

Walking Fern's Uses

The fern is a versatile plant used in various ways in your landscape. It looks great when planted in groups or used as a ground cover under trees or in other shaded areas. Its unique growth habit makes it an excellent choice for growing in crevices or between rocks in a rock garden.

Walking Fern's Benefits

There are many reasons to choose the fern for your landscape. Its distinctive appearance and growth habit make it a standout among other plants, and its hardiness and ease of care make it an excellent choice for gardeners of all levels. As a native plant, it provides crucial habitat and food for local wildlife. If you're ready to add a unique and beautiful fern to your landscape, order yours today from our selection of high-quality plants. We take pride in offering our customers only the best plants and products and are confident you'll be delighted with your new fern.

A fern is so named because it grows new plants. The leaves can grow from two to twelve inches long and taper to a point that curls. The fronds are heart-shaped at the base and taper to a slender end containing a bud.

Structures that produce dark brown spores on the underside of the leaf cause new plants to sprout when the end touches the ground, creating the "walking effect." The spores may appear scattered on the bottom of the leaves, but they are along the veins.

The leaves are smooth and green except at the base, where they are dark reddish brown and scaly. They do not look like a typical fern frond. Because of the walking effect, they grow in clumps and do not produce flowers.

Walking ferns can tolerate wet soil on an occasional basis. They prefer shady and humid areas where they are protected from wind. They grow well in the eastern U.S. and as far west as Oklahoma and Kansas. It is not unusual for the ferns to be hidden under the snow in the winter, waiting for the melt in the spring.

It is a beautiful plant for wooded rock gardens. It prefers to be near streams and grows on moss-covered rocks and overhangs. It will also expand on sandstone and sometimes on tree trunks.

Ferns are often planted as ground cover, and because their leaves are evergreen, they can be enjoyed all year. Fern enthusiasts will find that they add to a natural garden.

Asplenium rhizophyllum

Hardy Planting Zones- 4-9

Sun or Shade - Partial to Full Shade

Mature Height - 6-12" Mature Width- 6-9"

Bloom Season - n/a Gardener Status-

Beginner Soil Type- rocky, moist humus

This Is How Your Plants Will Look upon Delivery

Choose early spring or fall when the soil is moist and cool to plant healthy bare-root ferns. You can also use dormant plants to grow year-round. When you arrive, please soak the roots in water for several hours to rehydrate them. Ferns thrive in moist and shaded areas. Dig a hole wide and deep enough to spread out the roots comfortably. Position the fern so the crown (where the roots meet the fronds) is just at or slightly below ground level. Gently backfill with soil firmly around the roots, and thoroughly water to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch for weed control and to retain moisture, ensuring the mulch does not touch the crown. Water during dry periods is used to keep soil moist but not soggy. Avoid fertilizing in the first year, as ferns prefer nutrient-rich soil over direct fertilization.

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