Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa'
Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa'
Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa'
11cm
£0.00
Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa' is a handsome, crested form of the golden-scaled male fern, prized for the way each frond is tightly crimped and frilled along its length. The result is a dense, almost ruffled shuttlecock of foliage that catches the light beautifully in a shady border. As a compact, well-behaved selection of the scaly male fern, it brings texture and a touch of refinement that the plain species cannot match, which is exactly why it has earned the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
In spring the new croziers unfurl a soft golden-green, set off by the warm golden-brown scales that clothe the stems and midribs, the feature that gives this dryopteris fern its name. The fronds deepen to a rich green through summer and, in milder gardens, much of the foliage holds through winter, making this a genuinely semi-evergreen plant that earns its place all year round.
How and where to grow it
This is one of the most adaptable and forgiving of all hardy fern choices for the UK garden. It thrives in partial or full shade, making it perfect for north and east-facing borders, woodland-edge plantings, and those tricky spots beneath trees and shrubs where little else looks happy.
- Position: partial to full shade, sheltered from harsh, drying winds.
- Soil: moist but well-drained, on clay, loam, chalk or sand; tolerant of acid, neutral or alkaline ground enriched with leaf mould.
- Hardiness: fully hardy across the UK, withstanding roughly -20C.
- Eventual size: a clump of around 60-90cm tall and 60-75cm wide, reaching full stature in five to ten years.
Care is wonderfully low: keep the roots cool and reliably moist, mulch in autumn, and simply trim away any tired fronds in late winter before the fresh growth appears. As a robust relative of the native male fern, it shrugs off pests and disease and asks almost nothing of you in return. It also pairs effortlessly with hostas, hellebores and woodland bulbs for a layered, naturalistic feel.
Every fern we send out is a strong, well-rooted, nursery-grown plant, ready to establish quickly and give years of elegant, undemanding structure in your garden.
