Golden-scaled Male Fern
Dryopteris affinis
Golden-scaled Male Fern
Dryopteris affinis
Dryopteris affinis
17cm
£0.00
Dryopteris affinis, the scaly male fern, is one of our most handsome and dependable native ferns, a stately, easy-going beauty that brings architectural elegance to any shady corner. Each spring its tightly coiled croziers unfurl into a perfect shuttlecock of arching, golden-green fronds, the stems clothed in striking golden-brown scales that give the plant its alternative names of golden male fern and golden-scaled male fern. Few hardy ferns offer such reliable presence with so little fuss.
Holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this is a fern that earns its place. The bold, finely divided fronds mature to a rich mid-green and form a generous clump roughly 1–1.2m tall and around 1m across, reaching full stature over 5 to 10 years. As a semi-evergreen, it often holds its foliage well into winter in sheltered gardens, offering structure long after deciduous neighbours have faded.
How and where to grow it
The scaly male fern is wonderfully adaptable. It prefers partial to full shade and a moist but well-drained soil enriched with leaf mould or compost, thriving in everything from chalk and clay to loam and sand across the full range of pH. A north or east-facing, sheltered position suits it perfectly, think woodland border, the foot of a shady wall, or alongside a pond. It also grows handsomely in a large container of loam-based compost, provided it never dries out.
- Aspect: partial to full shade, ideal for north-facing beds
- Soil: moisture-retentive yet well-drained
- Hardiness: fully hardy across the UK
- Care: simply cut away tired fronds in late winter before new growth appears
Largely untroubled by pests, with no reported toxicity to people or pets, Dryopteris affinis is as practical as it is beautiful, a true cornerstone for the shade garden. Every fern we send out is nursery-grown and carefully selected, arriving strong, healthy and ready to settle straight into your garden.
