Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Ferns that really will tolerate dry shade

pgspgs Posts: 2
in Plants

I am looking for ferns to grow in dry shade. However advice on whether ferns will survive dryness is often contradictory. For example Monty Don in his Gardeners’ World.com video ‘How to grow ferns in dry shade’ recommends Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata the King’,  and Asplenium scolopendrium ‘Marginatum’ (the crispy hart tongue’s fern). Yet when I click through to view specific information about each plant, I read (on the same website): ‘damp-loving’, and ‘great choice for damp ..’. Not very helpful.

Can anyone recommend ferns that genuinely will grow in dry shade?

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2018
    I grow Dryopteris 'Cristata the King' (we call it Elvis  ;))  on very free draining gritty soil in dry partial shade under the canopy of a large ash tree.  It's been growing happily and increasing in size for 5 years, and apart from the occasional bucket of water in this extremely hot dry spell it's had no mollycoddling except for in its first year.

    I have several Asplenium scolopnedrium 'Cristata' in deep shade along a dark alley way at the side of the house ... it's a very narrow bed and never gets watered ... it's spreading itself and taking up residence in cracks in the brick wall above which again is never watered. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    and the Hart's Tongue fern, Asplenium scolopendrium


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    I've got Polystichum setiferum in my garden on clay in the shade and I have not watered it hardly at all in this dry period. You could try one of those for your shady area. 
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Most of the evergreen ferns that I've grown do OK in dry shade. 
    The deciduous ones less so, avoid Matteuccia, that needs plenty of water


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    Matteucia struthiopteris ; beautiful but thirsty . Cut mine down yesterday as it always takes on a jaded appearance towards August . Maybe the damned heat catalysed it prematurely towards hibernation for the oncoming winter .

    I have numerous ferns which seldom if ever get any extra water , all thriving in a fairly free draining neutral/acidic loam . Asplenium , Blechnums , Arachniodes , Dryopteris , Gymnocarpium , Woodwardia etc.
    Most of these are in full sunshine partially during the day .

    Every time I look at my Arachniodes aristata 'Variegata' I remember reading that it's more suited as a houseplant (?) Really??? Mine grows outdoors all year , faced the full brunt of the 'Beasts' in March and is thriving . A case of trial and error methinks !

    Acquired Doodia media yesterday , complete with pinkish new fronds ; that's destined for outdoors too along with the rest ; no mollycoddling here !

    Seriously though , obviously the crucial time for ferns is the spring ; abundant moisture to develop good strong fronds and roots , which can then stand virtually anything the UK climate can throw at them , as has been proven by this infernal dry spell ! :#
  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    Yikes!!!

    Two 'c' s in Matteuccia :*
  • pgspgs Posts: 2
    Thanks to all for your suggestions and comments.
Sign In or Register to comment.