non-invasive Ferns?

17 years ago

Hi all

Okay - is the concept of a non-invasive Fern a possiblity?

I have just finished [maybe] digging through a 4 x 10 foot flower bed that began with some ferns [ostrich I think] planted in the shady corner. I am redoing my yard and this bed is shrinking into a small corner type bed with the new sidewalk curving through what once was the bed. I've been digging out Ferns, ferns and more ferns. I think that they were choking out my Francis Williams Hosta with their hairy roots. I've pulled huge lengths of "rope" from the ground and don't want to have the same thing happen again. BUT I want to plant ferns - I mean what would be Fern's garden without ferns. I do love ferns. Are there varieties that would be less invasive? Japanese painted look nice, I saw something called an Autumn Fern. Can anyone give me advice?

Thanks

Fern

Featured Answer

Iris GW

17 years ago

If ostrich is the only fern you know, then the concept of non-invasive fern may sound strange! But let me assure you that of the 19 different kinds of native ferns that I have, very few are spreaders (and I don't even have ostrich or bracken fern).

The spreading ones I have: New York fern, sensitive fern, netted chain fern, southern shield fern, and broad beech fern.

The clumping ones I have: Christmas fern, ebony spleenwort, northern maidenhair fern, southern maidenhair, rattlesnake fern, grape fern, rock cap fern, resurrection fern, lady fern, royal fern, cinnamon fern, hay scented fern, hairy lip fern.

And I'm not sure how to classify: american climbing fern.

I'm sure some ferns are more aggressive than others given the right conditions. But you definitely have more to choose from, although I guess your zone will limit you some.

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Comments (7)

arcy_gw
17 years ago
I have; lady, christmas, Japanese painted, interrupted, maiden hair,tatting; all are non wanderers. The clump just gets bigger and I dig them up , divide them and plant them where i want them to be. My autumn fern died after two years, so can't comment on that one.
I spent Satuday clipping the tops of Ostrich ferns that had wandered where I do not want them. I cut them off at the crowns.
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timjc
17 years ago
I've got autumn ferns, christmas ferns, ostrich ferns and japanese painted ferns. The autumn ferns are not invasive and grow vertically about 3 feet. Very nice, full fronds. The JPF is low to the ground but unique looking.
karinl
17 years ago
Yes to all of the above. Your ostrich ferns have the botanical name Matteuccia, and those are invasive. A couple of other small fern families also are. But the biggest families are Dryopteris and Polystichum, and neither of these spread at all; mind you they may not be quite hardy enough for you. Two smaller families with non-invasive and very hardy members are Cryptogramma and Woodsia. These latter are specialty items you can probably only get by mail order (check Fraser's Thimble Farm). Also look into Adiantum aleuticum (Maidenhair) which you may be able to grow with protection, and the Osmunda family, which is hardy to zone 2-3.

My Matteuccias are very firmly confined to a pot! Almost all the rest are in the ground, and do not spread.
brendan_of_bonsai
17 years ago
What you want is a non-agressive fern, not a non-invasive fern
noki
17 years ago
you are rather limited if you are really Zone 2. Autumn Fern is zone 5 but D. marginalis wood fern is said to be very hardy, makes a simple vase shaped crown

also the Clayton or Interrrupted Fern, the Royal Fern and the Cinnamon Fern are also zone 2. The Cinnamon fern also spreads some but not nearly as fast as the Ostrich
fernsk
Original Author
17 years ago
I think that my tiny backyard helps to create a microclimate that extends to a 4 and sometimes a 5. I am able to winter over columbine, ferns [aggressive], globe flower, hostas, tulips, mint [being dug out], LUPINS, roses so I do think that Japanese painted fern would work for me. It is very low to the ground though so I had thought that I would like to find something that would grow taller - background for Francis Williams Hosta