Gymnocarpium dryopteris AGM

Oak Fern Dryopteridaceae

An elegant little fern that proves you don’t need towering fronds to make an impression. Gymnocarpium dryopteris forms spreading colonies from slender creeping rhizomes, producing delicate, bright-green, triangular fronds divided into finely cut segments. Despite its common name, it has no particular fondness for oak trees! It is native across much of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, including Britain and Ireland, Europe, northern Asia and Japan, and across much of northern and western North America. 

A superb choice for the woodland garden, it prefers deep shade and a cool, sheltered position in moist but well-drained, leafy soil. Acid to neutral conditions suit it best; mulch generously with leaf mould or compost and never allow it to bake dry. Deciduous, disappearing neatly in autumn and returning reliably in spring.

Hardiness: H5 (-15 to -10°C)
Height: 20-30cm
Spread: 50–100cm