This pretty fern has slender, finger-like fronds, each of which has a ruffled trim and a cream and green variegation. Forming on a slowly spreading rhizome and topping slender stems, they create a rather lacy, ethereal effect. Often retaining some (if not all) of its fronds throughout the winter in milder regions, it's happiest in a sheltered spot, but in colder regions, it can be grown in a pot and moved to an unheated greenhouse or conservatory when the temperatures start to drop.
How to care for Pteris nipponica:
Incorporate lots of well-rotted leaf mould or garden compost into the planting hole. Offer winter protection in colder regions. Cut back decayed fronds in winter to allow new growth to emerge.
Eventual height:
0.6m
Eventual spread:
0.6m
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)
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This fern is deciduous so all its fronds will die back in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again each spring.