Hart's Tongue Fern

Asplenium scolopendrium

Name: Asplenium scolopendrium
Brand: GROW TROPICALS
SKU: ASPLSCOL17
Price: 11.99 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

£18.99

Very hardyShade-tolerantEvergreen

Pot size

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Complete the set up

The perfect soil Fern Premium Potting Mix · 2.5L · £4.99

Description

The Asplenium scolopendrium, better known as the Hart's tongue fern, is one of the most distinctive of all our native ferns and a superb evergreen for the shady garden. Where most ferns are finely cut and feathery, this one breaks the mould with undivided, strap-shaped fronds of glossy bright green that arch out in bold rosettes, giving a lush, almost tropical texture in the darkest corners.

Rated RHS H6, it is fully hardy right across the UK and holds its foliage through winter, so the fresh green fronds keep working when the rest of the border has died back. New croziers unfurl each spring to join the older leaves, and because it is evergreen the plant never leaves a bare gap. It is a UK native, thriving in the cool, humus-rich, shaded conditions found in ancient woodland and on old stone walls.

Water regularly through the first year while the roots settle, keeping the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Once established it is a tough, low-maintenance plant that asks for little beyond an annual tidy of tired old fronds. It is wonderfully versatile: use it to light up a shady shade planting, to add glossy contrast in exotic borders, or to fill a container in a cool courtyard as part of a pot display. Its leathery, salt-tolerant fronds also stand up well in coastal and exposed gardens, and it pairs beautifully with feathery partners such as Dryopteris erythrosora and Athyrium.

Part of our wider range of hardy exotics, every Hart's tongue fern we send is nursery-grown, hand-selected for a strong crown and healthy roots, and packed with care. For a guide to how hardy plants 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.

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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.

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How to care for Hart's Tongue Fern

Give me sun with a little shade and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

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.

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About Hart's Tongue Fern

Asplenium scolopendrium needs partial shade or full shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Coastal & Exposed Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H6 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −20°C

reliably hardy and evergreen across the country, needing no winter protection.

Position

Partial shadeFull shadeNorth-facingEast-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered

partial to deep shade, ideal for that tricky north-facing bed or a spot beneath trees where little else will grow.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamMoist but well-drainedAlkaline pHNeutral pH

humus-rich, moist but well-drained ground; it is happily lime-tolerant and does especially well on neutral to alkaline and chalky soils.

Watering

Water regularly through the first year to settle the roots, keeping the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Once established it is low-maintenance; simply remove tired old fronds in late winter before the new croziers unfurl. Read moreShow less

Mature size

Height45-60 cm

Spread50-60 cm

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Non-flowering

Seasonal colour

SpringSummerAutumnWinterFlowerFoliageBerriesStem

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Evergreen, so no routine pruning is needed. Simply cut away tired or damaged old fronds in late winter before the new croziers unfurl.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets; Asplenium scolopendrium is generally considered non-toxic.

Native range

Europe, W. Asia, N. Africa

Family

Aspleniaceae

Also known as

Asplenium scolopendrium

Genus

Asplenium →

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Asplenium scolopendrium hardy in the UK?

Yes. Asplenium scolopendrium is rated RHS H6, which makes it fully hardy right across the UK. It is also evergreen, so it keeps its glossy fronds through winter without any protection.

Where is the best place to plant a Hart's tongue fern?

It is happiest in partial to deep shade, so it is perfect for a north-facing bed or a dark corner under trees where little else will grow. Explore more ideas in our plants for shade collection.

Is Asplenium scolopendrium evergreen?

Yes. Unlike many ferns that die back for winter, the Hart's tongue fern is evergreen and holds its bright green, strap-shaped fronds all year round, so it never leaves a bare gap in the border.

What soil does the Hart's tongue fern prefer?

It likes humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil and is notably lime-tolerant, thriving on neutral to alkaline and chalky ground. Working in leaf mould or garden compost helps hold the moisture it enjoys.

Can I grow Asplenium scolopendrium in a pot?

Yes, it makes an excellent container plant for a cool, shaded spot. Keep the compost consistently moist and browse our plants for pots for more shade-friendly ideas.

Is the Hart's tongue fern safe around pets?

There is no reported toxicity to people or pets, and ferns like this are generally considered non-toxic. As with any plant, it is still best to discourage pets from chewing the foliage.

What grows well alongside a Hart's tongue fern?

Its glossy, strap-shaped fronds contrast beautifully with feathery foliage, so pair it with other woodland shade plants such as ferns, hellebores, hostas and epimediums. Browse more plants for shade and our hardy ferns.

How often should I water a newly planted Hart's tongue fern?

Keep the soil evenly moist through the first growing season while it roots in, watering well in dry weather. After that it is fairly self-sufficient in a cool, shaded spot.

Will Asplenium scolopendrium spread or self-seed?

It forms a steady clump rather than spreading by runners. In damp, shady gardens it may self-seed gently onto walls or moist ground, which you can easily welcome or remove.

Does the Hart's tongue fern need feeding or much upkeep?

Very little. An annual spring mulch of leaf mould keeps it thriving. It is evergreen and low maintenance, needing only the occasional tired frond removed.

How much shade will a Hart's tongue fern tolerate?

It is one of the best ferns for deep shade and thrives in partial to full shade, including dry shade once established. Avoid hot, exposed sun, which can scorch the fronds. See more plants for shade.

Is the Hart's tongue fern good for garden wildlife?

Ferns do not flower, so they do not feed pollinators directly, but the dense evergreen clumps offer year-round shelter to beetles, amphibians and other creatures in a damp, shady corner.

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.

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

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£18.99