Common name: Maidenhair spleenwort
Latin name: Asplenium trichomanes
Plant type: Perennial
Plant size: 3-12″ high x 3-12″ wide
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-11
Cultural needs: Moist, rich, well-drained soil or rock crevices; partial to full shade
In the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, maidenhair spleenwort grows under overhanging rock ledges, in moist crevices at high elevations. Subspecies grow on other continents, too, always out of direct sun. Each plant forms a dark green, rounded fountain of ribbed fronds that are about ½” wide. The fern fronds in the photo are about 6″ long. On the humus-rich, shaded ground, we see patches of native moss as evidence of the moist environment necessary for the fern to grow. Also, in front of this dwarf fern, we see the unrelated and much tinier fern replicas called fairy fern or New Zealand brass buttons (Leptinella squalida), with a few button-like flowers in the foreground. The state of Minnesota considers Asplenium trichomanes to be a threatened species, and it is listed as exploitably vulnerable by the state of New York. It’s best to buy plants from nurseries if possible. Online garden forums offer spores for trade.
