Rosy Maidenhair Fern

Adiantum hispidulum

Other Common names: Rough Maidenhair Fern

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 8a-11 Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen to Deciduous Perennial Fern

Height at Maturity: 12-18″

Width at Maturity: 12-18″
Spacing: 16″ for mass plantings; 36″ for space between

Growth Habit / Form: Arching, Clumping, Spreading

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: None

Flower Size: NA

Flowering Period: NA

Flower Type: NA

Fragrant Flowers: NA

Foliage Color: Deep Green, Bronze-Pink new growth

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full Shade or Part Shade, Morning Sun With Afternoon Shade

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Consistently Moist But Well Drained

Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.0 (Acid to Neutral)

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Moist Soil, Rabbit, Shade

Description

A distinctive and lovely fern that can be grown as an indoor houseplant or year round outdoors in USDA Zones 8-11, the Rosy Maidenhair Fern grows into a small, upright clump to about 18 inches high and wide. While the deep green leathery mature foliage is handsome throughout the season, the very pretty young fronds emerge pink, which is highly unusual for a fern! It performs best in consistently moist and organically rich soils though has faired well through dry periods in our gardens where we have it growing in a woodland area near our garden pond. A reliable fern that has come back every year for many years in our Zone 8 Georgia gardens, we’ve seen no problems with pests or disease and the deer and rabbits turn their nose up to it.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing up to 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, the Rosy Maidenhair Fern can be grown in garden beds and containers situated indoors or outdoors. In the garden, it is ideal for use as an accent in small garden spaces or groupings in larger spaces. Looks great near the garden pond or other bodies of water or in containers that can be placed on patios, decks, or anywhere in the landscape that gets shade to part shade. Avoid direct afternoon sun. A fine addition to woodland gardens, shade gardens, pink theme gardens and mixed fern gardens.

Growing Preferences

The Rosy Maidenhair Fern is easy to grow in a moist but well-drained soil of average or better fertility in part shade to full shade. Some morning and evening sun is okay but avoid direct afternoon sun. It prefers a consistently moist soil rich in organic matter though will tolerate short dry periods. This fern will retain green foliage throughout the winter in warmer, frost-free climates. In colder climates it might be semi-deciduous or deciduous.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water perennial ferns.

How To Plant Perennial Ferns

How To Prune Or Cut Back Perennial fern Plants

How To Fertilize & Water Perennial Fern Plants

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Questions? Contact Us!

The fern is a beautiful color just as described. I appreciate the size of the plant. It is sitting in our garage waiting for frost danger to be over and the ground temperature warms.————————————One of my favorites!! Thanks so much for your review. Let us know if there’s ever anything we can help you with. 🙂 – Beth | WBG

The ferns looked a little puny but they have livened up a lot since getting into the ground, and will have to wait and see if the pink new growth appears or not. But pleased with how well they were shipped.———————————————-Keep us posted! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG