Anisocampium sheareri Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Shearer's Paint Fern (Merlot Fern)

Anisocampium sheareri

£13.99
Hardy in the UKShade-tolerant
Pot size
14cm / 1.5L £13.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up
Description

The Anisocampium sheareri, still often sold under its old name Athyrium sheareri and known as Shearer's paint fern or merlot fern, is an uncommon Asian woodland fern with real collector appeal. Its delicate, finely divided fronds are a fresh green, with new growth flushed a smoky wine-red and carried on striking dark purple stems. A close relative of the lady ferns, it brings a refined, lacy texture to the shady exotic border that is hard to find elsewhere.

It is grown as a hardy fern and is believed to tolerate around -15C (roughly RHS H5), though its hardiness is less thoroughly documented than more common ferns, so a sheltered woodland spot and a winter mulch in colder gardens are wise. It is deciduous, dying back for winter and reshooting fresh, wine-tinted croziers each spring. For a shaded corner it is one of the more unusual plants for shade you can grow.

Keep the soil reliably moist, especially while establishing, mimicking the cool, damp woodland streamsides of its native range. It is generally non-toxic and pet-friendly, and its modest habit makes it easy to give a prized, sheltered position, whether at the front of a border, in a shaded container among your plants for pots, or tucked in beside other hardy exotics. It sits beautifully alongside our Athyrium lady fern.

Every fern we send is nursery-grown and carefully selected for a strong crown and healthy roots. For how hardy ferns settle in through the seasons, see our what to expect notes.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

Find out more

What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

Best quality plants guaranteed
7 day live arrival guarantee
Delivered to your door with care
Earn 69 points with this plant · 5 points per £1 Join free

How to care for Shearer's Paint Fern (Merlot Fern)

Give me sun with a little shade and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
Get to know me

About Shearer's Paint Fern (Merlot Fern)

Anisocampium sheareri needs partial shade or full shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H5 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −15°C

grown as hardy, around RHS H5; give shelter in colder gardens.

Position

Partial shadeFull shadeNorth-facingEast-facingWest-facingSheltered

partial to full shade, sheltered from cold, drying winds.

Soil

ClayLoamMoist but well-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH

moist, humus-rich, neutral to acid soil enriched with leaf mould.

Watering

Keep reliably moist, especially while establishing; it prefers cool, damp woodland conditions. Read moreShow less

Keep reliably moist, especially while establishing; it prefers cool, damp woodland conditions.

Mature size

Height45-50 cm
Spread45-50 cm

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Non-flowering (spores)

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Deciduous, so cut back the faded fronds in late winter as it dies back, and it will reshoot fresh each spring.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets; lady ferns and their relatives are generally considered non-toxic.

Native range

E. Asia (China, Japan, Korea)

Family

Athyriaceae

Also known as

Anisocampium sheareri

Genus

Anisocampium
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Anisocampium sheareri?

It is an uncommon Asian woodland fern, sometimes sold under its old name Athyrium sheareri and known as Shearer's paint fern or merlot fern. A close relative of the lady ferns, it has delicate, lacy fronds with new growth flushed wine-red on dark purple stems, prized by collectors. Compare it with our lady fern.

How hardy is Anisocampium sheareri in the UK?

It is grown as a hardy fern and is believed to tolerate around -15C (roughly RHS H5), although its hardiness is not as thoroughly documented as more common ferns. To be safe, give it a sheltered woodland position and a winter mulch in colder gardens. It settles in well among our other hardy exotics.

Is Anisocampium sheareri evergreen or deciduous?

It is deciduous, like the lady ferns it is related to. The fronds die back over winter, so cut back the old growth in late winter and fresh, wine-flushed new fronds will unfurl the following spring.

Where should I plant Anisocampium sheareri?

Give it a cool, sheltered spot in partial to full shade with moist, humus-rich, neutral to acid soil, mimicking its native woodland streamsides. It is a refined addition to a collection of plants for shade.

Is Anisocampium sheareri safe for pets?

There is no reported toxicity to people or pets, and lady ferns and their relatives are generally considered non-toxic and pet-friendly. As with any plant, it is sensible to discourage pets from chewing the foliage.

Can I grow Anisocampium sheareri in a pot?

Yes. Its modest, slowly spreading habit suits a shaded container of moist, humus-rich compost, which also makes it easy to give this collector fern a sheltered spot. It is well suited to pots and containers. Never let the compost dry out.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

Verified reviews

Rated by real customers

You may also like

We recommend
Anisocampium sheareri
£13.99