Pinder's Golden-Scaled Male Fern

Dryopteris affinis 'Pinderi'

Name: Dryopteris affinis 'Pinderi'
Brand: GROW TROPICALS
SKU: DRYOPIND11
Price: 6.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

£6.99

Hardy in the UKShade-tolerant

Pot size

11cm / 0.75L £6.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up

Description

Dryopteris affinis 'Pinderi' is a Victorian collector's fern with a silhouette no other male fern has: narrow, lance-shaped, sharply pointed fronds held stiffly upright, each midrib clothed in golden-brown scales. Where an ordinary male fern makes a wide shuttlecock, 'Pinderi' makes a slim, elegant column of deep green, found in the Lake District in 1855 by the Reverend Pinder and passed between fern collectors ever since.

Hardiness and seasons. It is a selection of the golden-scaled male fern, a British native rated H5 by the RHS, hardy through most of the UK to around -15C. Semi-evergreen: the fronds stand through mild winters and collapse in hard ones, replaced every spring by fresh yellow-green croziers dusted in golden scales.

In the garden. One of the easiest ferns there is. Any reasonable soil, sun or deep shade, and genuinely good in dry shade under trees once established. The upright habit makes it a natural exclamation mark among lower exotic border planting, and a striking thing in a pot. A true rare and unusual fern with 170 years of garden history behind it.

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 34 points with this plant · 5 points per £1 Join free

How to care for Pinder's Golden-Scaled Male Fern

Plant me in full sun 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 Pinder's Golden-Scaled Male Fern

Dryopteris affinis 'Pinderi' needs full sun or 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

The species carries RHS H5 (-15 to -10C), hardy through most of the UK; this 1855 selection of a British native has proven itself in gardens for 170 years. Semi-evergreen, with fronds holding in mild winters. See what to expect from outdoor plants.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeFull shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingShelteredExposed

Partial to full shade is ideal, any aspect, sheltered or exposed; it takes full sun where the soil stays reliably moist.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Any reasonable humus-rich soil: chalk, clay, loam or sand, acid to alkaline, moist but well-drained. Tolerates dry shade once established; mulch annually with leaf mould.

Watering

Water through the first season, mulch annually, then leave it alone; established clumps rarely need extra water except in prolonged drought. Read moreShow less

Water through the first season, mulch annually, then leave it alone; established clumps rarely need extra water except in prolonged drought.

Mature size

Height0.75 to 1m (nursery consensus; RHS gives the species as 1 to 1.5m, the cultivar is narrower and a little shorter)

Spread0.5 to 1m

Reaches full size in 5 to 10 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Does not flower: a fern, raising fresh yellow-green croziers in spring that mature to deep green narrow upright fronds with golden-brown midrib scales

Foliage

Semi-evergreen

Pruning

No pruning as such: cut away old, damaged or collapsed fronds in early spring before the new croziers unfurl, so the fresh shuttlecock displays cleanly.

Toxicity

No RHS toxicity warning for Dryopteris affinis. Not for consumption (male ferns contain filicin-type compounds); no specific child or pet hazard listed by the RHS.

Native range

Garden selection of a British native fern; the species ranges across Europe to Iran

Family

Dryopteridaceae

Also known as

Dryopteris affinis 'Pinderi'

Genus

Dryopteris

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dryopteris affinis 'Pinderi' evergreen?

Semi-evergreen. The stiff upright fronds stand through mild winters, especially in sheltered spots, and collapse in hard frost. Either way the clump refreshes completely each spring with new golden-scaled croziers, so cut away anything tatty in late winter and let it rebuild.

How hardy is it in the UK?

Very. The golden-scaled male fern is a British native rated H5 by the RHS, around -15C, and 'Pinderi' has stood in British gardens since 1855. It needs no winter protection in the ground anywhere in most of the UK.

Will it grow in dry shade?

Yes, and that makes it precious. Water it through its first season to establish the crown, then it handles the dry, rooty ground under deciduous trees that defeats most plants. An annual mulch of leaf mould keeps it at its best.

How big does the 'Pinderi' fern get?

Around 75cm to 1m tall and 50 to 75cm wide after 5 to 10 years, but much narrower in outline than a standard male fern. The fronds are slim, sharply pointed and held upright, so it fits borders and containers where a broad shuttlecock fern would sprawl.

How is it different from Dryopteris wallichiana?

Both are upright ferns with dark-scaled midribs, but they are different plants. Dryopteris wallichiana is a Himalayan species with broader fronds and near-black scales; 'Pinderi' is a narrow-fronded Victorian selection of the British golden-scaled male fern, slimmer in outline, with golden-brown scales, and hardier in a cold wet winter.

When should I cut back the old fronds?

Late winter or early spring, just before the new croziers unfurl. Cut the old fronds away at the base so the fresh column of growth displays cleanly. That is the only maintenance it asks for all year.

Are your plants treated with pesticides?

We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.

If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.

Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?

We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.

If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.

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 7 days 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

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

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

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

We recommend

Dryopteris affinis 'Pinderi'

£6.99