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Key characteristics

Family: Pteridaceae
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Width: 1 to 2 feet
Flower color: Non-flowering fern
Foliage color: Delicate, bright green, fan-shaped fronds with dark, wiry stems
Bloom time: Not applicable
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Water: Regular
Maintenance: Low; remove old fronds as needed; may require attentive watering during establishment
Growing zone: USDA zones 3 to 8
Wildlife: Not applicable

Perennials

Adiantum pedatum

Northern Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum pedatum, commonly known as the northern maidenhair fern, is a delicate, deciduous fern with airy, fan-shaped fronds arranged in a distinctive circular pattern. The fine, bright green leaflets emerge from dark, wiry stems, creating a graceful contrast that adds texture and movement to shaded gardens. Unlike flowering plants, this fern reproduces via spores, which develop on the undersides of its fronds.

Native to North America, Adiantum pedatum thrives in woodland settings, where it naturally grows in moist, shaded environments.

Light

Partial shade to full shade

Water

Regular

Bloom time

Not applicable

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Shade Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Rain Gardens
Cut Flower Gardens

Companion plants

Epimediums · Hostas · Bleeding hearts · Solomon's seal · Lungworts · Wild ginger

Design tip

Foliage and form do most of the work here, so lean on texture and repetition rather than one flowering moment. Keep it out of hot afternoon sun and layer it with woodland companions for a full, settled look.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)