Garden Artistry with the Japanese Painted Fern

Ferns. For many, they seem to be among the last plants on the list when it comes to shopping for the garden. But they really should be prioritized to the top. Ferns of all sorts add great texture to a plant display, and the Japanese Painted Fern, in particular, will accompany that texture with peaceful tones of silvery gray, reddish purple, and green.

In my region, it is around Mother’s Day (stateside Mom’s Day, celebrated in May) when small “shepherds’ crooks” start popping up from the ground. Fern lovers use the term “crosiers” to refer to these tightly curled and unfurled fronds of new growth from Fern plants. But I think it may be these crosiers that cause some gardeners to put Fern-planting on the back burner. Though incredibly cute and signaling spring, these tight spirals of new growth do not always indicate just how beautiful the more mature and fully opened fronds of a Fern will be. 

So gardeners have to take a leap of faith. Around this time of year when other plants are ready to take home in bushy and full form, the Fern buyer may have to settle for a pot of shepherds’ crooks with slightly fringed growth peeking out from their curled tops. But if they wait for what seems like only a minute, gardeners will have featherlike beauty in impressively graceful form at their fingertips. With the Japanese Painted Fern, especially, this addition to the garden will add artistic flair at a level most plants cannot reach.

Have you ever purchased a bouquet of cut flowers which included a Fern frond or two? Put the flowers in a vase, and they look great. Add the pieces of Fern, and the bouquet becomes spectacular, with graceful movement and a “finished” look. It is the same in the garden: Find a shady spot where you might have other plants such as Brunnera, Sweet Woodruff, Wild Ginger, or Hostas. Add a Fern of any sort, or ideally, a Japanese Painted Fern. What starts out pretty turns into something gorgeous.

The Japanese Painted Fern spreads a little each year. From my experience with this plant, I can say that the spread is by no means too much. Spreading to only about 18 inches, with height at maturity matching the length of a ruler, these plants are polite. But as I have found with most plants that grow from rhizomes, the Japanese Painted Fern, once settled in, will hold on and do well no matter what comes its way. Mature plants can be made numerous through clump division, with cuts made into the crown of a large plant and divisions planted here and there. Or a mature clump can simply be left alone to take care of itself, year upon year.

While some other Ferns unfurl into elongated, upright fronds, the Japanese Painted Fern has broader fronds, many of which grow almost parallel to the ground. The full but slightly flattened mound of growth produced by each Japanese Painted Fern is ideal for allowing the fronds’ colors to show. The positioning of the fronds also permits their shape to be seen easily by admirers.

The Japanese Painted Fern likes to be dug not-to-deep into a nutrient-rich soil. Start with excellent soil that is made better with compost, and then add liquid fertilizer or a slow-release granular food that will keep the plant healthy all summer. In autumn, cutting back the fronds will be unnecessary, for the plant is deciduous and will take care of itself. But if a few fronds become browned at their tips during the growing season, know that this signals a bit of stress which is typically related to over- or under-watering. Snip the browned fronds, and then re-evaluate your method of watering. In the case of the Japanese Painted Fern, it is better to water lightly and frequently at the base to ensure even moisture. Deep and sporadic watering is appreciated less.

Deer and other hungry garden visitors will not take interest in the Japanese Painted Fern. Perhaps it looks so artistic and, indeed, painted, it may seem inedible to these smart creatures. That is good news to gardeners. And while Ferns will not want to sit in soil that is too soggy, they can tolerate wet feet better than most plants. But what they cannot tolerate is scorching sun, which will fade their color and wreak havoc in other ways. Because of this, it is important that Japanese Painted Fern gets planted in a nicely shaded spot. It can be dug in somewhat near the trunks of such trees as Pines, as it does fine with slightly acidic soil. In a peaceful, shady spot such as this, the silvery gray of its foliage will almost sparkle as the Fern ripples in breezes that pass through.

Yes, there are countless plants on every gardener’s list of must-haves. I have some on my list to purchase this year. But make room for Ferns, and the Japanese Painted Fern, in particular. It will make you feel more like an artist than a gardener, for good reason.