Plant Data Sheet
Species Athyrium Filix-Femina
Lady
fern
Range
Circumpolar; Alaska to Labrador and Greenland, south in
North America to Saskatchewan, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, West
Virginia, and North Carolina.
Climate, elevation
Occurs along the coast and wet interior regions at all elevations.
Local occurrence (where, how
common)
Common in moist to wet forest, swamps, thickets, openings, slidetracks, stream-banks, gullies, meadows and clearings.
Habitat preferences
Wet or damp areas such as swamps, stream banks, wet forests
and in clearings such a meadows
Plant strategy type/successional stage (stress-tolerator,
competitor, weedy/colonizer, seral, late successional)
Lady Fern is relatively tolerant of sun and dry soil as compared to many other ferns.
Associated species
A. Goeringianum
pictum; A. alpestre; A. crenatum; A. macrocarpum; A. niponicum; A. spinulosum; A. umbrosum.
Other common names include: wood fern's wife
May be collected as: By division in the spring or spores may be sown in the summer. The spores must be fully ripe.
Collection restrictions or
guidelines
Place fronds with the spores in a paper bag and dry for a
week at 21ēC. Collect spores that fall into the bag. Athyrium can be transplanted in the spring or fall; however,
division is best attempted in the spring, shortly after new growth has emerged.
Seed germination (needs
dormancy breaking?)
No seeds.
Seed life (can be stored,
short shelf-life, long shelf-life)
Recommended seed storage
conditions
Spores may be stored in a
dry, cool place.
Propagation recommendations
(plant seeds, vegetative parts, cuttings, etc.)
Division in spring
or by collecting spores in late July and August
Soil or
medium requirements (inoculum necessary?)
Moist/Well-Drained acidic soil (www.horticulture.com)
Installation form (form,
potential for successful outcomes, cost)
Division.
Recommended planting density
Spacing 18"-24"
Care requirements after
installed (water weekly, water once etc.)
Fertilization unnecessary, keep soil moist and protect from strong wind. (www.mrgrow.com)
Normal rate of growth or
spread; lifespan
Moderate to fast growth rate (greenwoodnursery.com)
Sources cited
http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/grass/carexros.html
greenwoodnursery.com
Pojar, Jim and Andrew MacKinnon. 1994. Plants of the
Data compiled by (student
name and date)
Lara Johnson