Maidenhair Spleenwort

(Asplenium trichomanes)

Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes)

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Estimated Native Range
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Summary

Asplenium trichomanes, commonly known as Maidenhair Spleenwort, is an evergreen perennial fern native to a variety of habitats including rocky crevices, limestone cliffs, and shaded woodlands across Europe, Asia, and North America. It typically grows 10 to 30 cm tall, forming dense tufts from a short, scaly rhizome. The dark scales on the rhizome contrast with the bright evergreen fronds, which are long, narrow, and simply divided into small, yellow-green to dark-green, roundish pinnae. The fronds are delicate and feathery, adding a fine texture to garden compositions.

Maidenhair Spleenwort is valued for its hardiness, capable of withstanding temperatures down to −20 °C (−4 °F), and its evergreen foliage, which provides year-round interest. It is particularly adept at colonizing crevices in stone walls and is often used in rock gardens, as ground cover, and in crevice plantings. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, indicating its excellence for garden use. While it prefers fully or partially shaded conditions, it is somewhat sun tolerant if kept moist. It thrives in well-drained, humus-rich soil and requires consistent moisture without waterlogging. This fern is generally low-maintenance, but it can be susceptible to crown rot if grown in poorly drained soils.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

  • Plant Type: Fern
  • Height: 0.5-1 feet
  • Width: 0.5-1 feet
  • Growth Rate: Slow
  • Flower Color: N/A
  • Flowering Season: Non-Flowering
  • Leaf Retention: Evergreen

Growth Requirements

  • Sun: Part Shade, Full Shade
  • Water: Medium
  • Drainage: Slow, Medium

Common Uses

Border Plant, Deer Resistant, Low Maintenance, Potted Plant, Rock Garden, Salt Tolerant, Street Planting

Natural Habitat

Rocky crevices, limestone cliffs, and shaded woodlands across Europe, Asia, and North America

Other Names

Common Names: Rundfinnet Radeløv, Braunstieliger Streifenfarn, Tummaraunioinen, Doradille Chevelue, Asplénie Chevelue, Capillaire, Fausse Capillaire, Pluksnu Sikpaparde, Svartburkne, Steenbreekvaren

Scientific Names: , Asplenium trichomanes, Asplenium trichomanes var. incisum, Asplenium dichrum, Asplenium melanocaulon subsp. inexpectatum, Asplenium subrotundum, Asplenium trichomanes f. atlantidis, Asplenium trichomanes var. incisocrenatum, Asplenium umbrosum,

GBIF Accepted Name: Asplenium trichomanes L.