Maidenhair Spleenwort
Asplenium trichomanes
Also listed as Asplenium saxatile, Athyrium trichomanes
Climate Match for your location
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A delicate evergreen fern with wiry black stems and tiny, feathery green fronds that forms low spreading mats. Thrives in shaded, cool locations with adequate moisture and rocky soil.
Why grow it
Maidenhair spleenwort is a compact evergreen fern suitable for shaded rock gardens, stone walls, and woodland edges where many other ferns struggle. It occupies less vertical space than larger ferns while providing year-round textural interest, making it useful for edging or filling narrow crevices in permaculture systems with limited light.
Watch out for
This species prefers consistent moisture and resents drying out between waterings, so it may need supplemental water during extended dry periods even in shade. Performance declines in warm climates or hot microclimates, and it may struggle in heavy clay soils without amendment to improve drainage and aeration.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Aspleniaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Temperate worldwide
Native to: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A delicate evergreen fern with wiry black stems and tiny, feathery green fronds that forms low spreading mats. Thrives in shaded, cool locations with adequate moisture and rocky soil.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Maidenhair Spleenwort grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Maidenhair spleenwort is a compact evergreen fern suitable for shaded rock gardens, stone walls, and woodland edges where many other ferns struggle. It occupies less vertical space than larger ferns while providing year-round textural interest, making it useful for edging or filling narrow crevices in permaculture systems with limited light.
Watch out for
This species prefers consistent moisture and resents drying out between waterings, so it may need supplemental water during extended dry periods even in shade. Performance declines in warm climates or hot microclimates, and it may struggle in heavy clay soils without amendment to improve drainage and aeration.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Aspleniaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Temperate worldwide
Native to: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Season of Interest
Ground cover
Low spreading plants that carpet the soil.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar ground covers you might consider:
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