Athyrium Vidalii

Red Fronds for Spring

Open, airy, and a snap to grow.

Often the very first Fern to unfurl in your shade garden each spring, A. vidalii is a difficult-to-locate but quite easy-to-grow Japanese Lady Fern that should be seen more frequently in American gardens. Its spring color is magnificent, its stems keep their deep maroon hues till frost, and its airy habit and tough-as-nails vigor make it a fine choice even for challenging garden sites.

The new fronds unfurl bold shades of red and russet in early spring, matched by dark burgundy stems that outline each leaflet. As the weather warms, the fronds turn a pleasing shade of light spring green, but the stems keep their maroon hues. Expect these finely-cut bipinnate fronds to reach 12 inches or so, held upright and out on open-habit plants that display a more airy, loosely-held habit than many Athyriums.

Growing best in rich, moist, well-worked soil exposed to partial to full shade, A. vidalii reaches 12 to 18 inches high and 15 to 18 inches wide. It makes a fine contrast to large-leaved perennials such as Hostas, flowering shade-lovers from Dicentra to Astilbe, and taller shrubs and trees. Hardy to -10 degrees F, it tolerates environmental stresses well. Very adaptable and easy, it is a long-lived pleasure in the shade.

Zones 5-9.