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Asplenium scolopendrium AGM

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Characteristics

Plant type

Fern

Habit

Tufted

Resilience

Hardiness

H6 (hardy - very cold winter)

Colour

Foliage

Dark Green in Autumn, Spring, Summer and Winter

Size

Ultimate height

0.1-0.5 metres

Ultimate spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5-10 years

Preferred common name

hart's tongue fern

Family

Aspleniaceae

Asplenium are evergreen ferns with short, usually erect rhizomes bearing a rosette of slightly leathery fronds which may be simple, pinnate to 3-pinnate

A. scolopendrium is an evergreen fern forming a rosette of arching, rich green, strap-shaped fronds 30-75cm in length, the margins often undulate. Spores borne in conspicuous transverse stripes beneath the fronds

Other common names

burnt weed
buttonhole
Christ's hair
hart's tongue fern
horse tongue

Synonym(s)

Phyllitis scolopendrium

Suppliers

Suppliers listed in RHS Plant Finder

Awards

Award of Garden Merit

How to grow

Sunlight

Part shade
Full shade

Aspect

South-facing, North-facing, West-facing or East-facing

Exposed or Sheltered

Cultivation

Grows well in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. Bright mid-day sun can cause damage. May be sensitive to fungicides.Tolerant of dry shade but water regularly during the first season and mulch well

Soil

Moist but well-drained

Alkaline or Neutral

Loam, Chalk, Sand or Clay

Propagation

Propagate by sowing spores in mid to late summer or by division in spring. Peeled leaf bases can be taken off from where the stem joins with the root. Old leaf bases that are green at the base are incubated in a plastic bag of loam based media. Green swellings can be found and potted to raise new plants

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City/Courtyard Gardens, Cottage/Informal Garden, Flower borders and beds, Ground Cover or Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs

How to care

Pruning

Dead or damaged fronds may be removed as necessary

Pests

Generally pest free outdoors

Diseases

May be infected by a rust in mild, damp winters

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