Upside-down fern is a lacy, shade-loving fern from East Asia that doesn't grow wild in the US but is sold here as a garden plant. Its name refers to the way the stalk twists so the top of the frond faces down.
Appearance
- Growth form
- A fern 1.5–2 ft (45–60 cm) tall that slowly spreads 1–4 ft (30–120 cm) wide from creeping .
- Leaves
- Arching, finely divided, light green fronds.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Shade gardens
- Woodland gardens
- Range
- Native to Japan and to Korea's Jeju and Ulleung islands, where it grows on moist forest floors. It doesn't grow wild in the US, but it's planted in shade gardens.
- Preferred conditions
- In gardens it wants partial to deep shade and evenly moist, neutral to acidic soil. It's hardy in USDA zones 4a–8b.
Life cycle
- Reproduction
- Like all ferns, it has no flowers and reproduces by spores.
Growing it
- Care
- Low maintenance. It handles heavy shade and wet soil, and deer tend to leave it alone. Good for woodland and shade gardens, borders, and containers.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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