We have long been fascinated by the simple beauty of Adiantum (the maidenhair fern). Most maidenhair ferns commonly offered for sale are tropical species used as houseplants. Our focus, however, is on offering garden-worthy, winter-hardy adiantum ferns for sale.
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Species in the genus Adiantum that are native to the US include Adiantum pedatum, aka: Adiantum aleuticum (northern maidenhair fern), Adiantum capillus-veneris (southern maidenhair fern), and Adiantum hispidulum (rosy maidenhair fern). Southern maidenhair fern even has a worldwide distribution. We are well on our way to collect Adiantum capillus-veneris taxa from every continent.
Maidenhair fern is also highly prized for its medicinal properties, although we advocate its use only as a garden specimen. Worldwide, maidenhair ferns are used to treat coughs, congestion, bronchitis, menstrual cramps, and hair loss.
Adiantum ferns are typically found on neutral to alkaline moist soils. Despite their dainty appearance, maidenhair ferns are a tough, easy-to-grow shade perennials that are deer-resistant. Although typically found in deep shade, maidenhair ferns seems to enjoy an hour or two of sun, especially in the early morning hours. If you're looking to buy a maidenhair fern, we hope you'll check our list of adiantum for sale below.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order Plant Sources - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
Adiantum 'Bermuda Run' represents our 2000 wild collection of this wide-ranging species from Bermuda, where we found it growing on a rock wall near the Royal Dockyards. Although we were skeptical about winter hardiness, it has easily survived 6 degrees F so far. Adiantum 'Bermuda Run' is composed of light green pinnae (fern leaves) held along a 1' long black arching stipe and forms a spreading mat to 10" tall x 4' wide in 10 years. For us, this selection is more compact than most other clones that we have grown. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Adiantum capillus-veneris A3T-022) We discovered this wonderfully cut leaf form of the southeastern native Adiantum capillus-veneris along Wasp Creek in Kendall County, Texas. Unlike most forms of southern maidenhair fern, the pinnae are shaped like narrow Japanese hand fans. For us, Adiantum 'Fan Dance' forms a tight 6" tall patch that expands to 2' wide in 5 years. We are pleased to finally be able to share this special form. Moist soils are best. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Adiantum c-v A1CR-090) In 2010, we discovered a small patch of Adiantum capillus-veneris growing in a wet seep at 1680' elevation on the south slope of Crete's Mt. Ida...very near an amazing population of white-flowered Dracunculus vulgaris. Our spore collections germinated well enough that we are able to share. The parent clump was more compact than most of the US native forms, maturing around 6" tall. We would expect a 2' wide patch in 5 years, but we'll see together. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(coll. #A2T-034) This form of the wonderful southern maidenhair fern, Adiantum capillus-veneris, comes from spores that we collected in 2000 in the Edwards Plateau region of TX near the town of Rock Springs. Not that you are interested, but we were stopped three times by border patrol agents who searched our backpacks for illegal aliens...glad I carried a small backpack. Plantsman Scott Ogden showed us this population growing along a small creek in a very alkaline soil. Our 5-year-old clump is 1' tall x 2' wide and, as you can imagine, quite heat tolerant. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(coll. #A1HA-016) Rosy maidenhair fern is commonly grown as a houseplant but few gardeners realize its winter hardiness. Regular Adiantum hispidulum is easy to grow and reliable in warmer parts of Zone 8, but this form has been fine in our Zone 7b garden since 2004. Adiantum hispidulum 'Mt Haleakala' makes an attractive 1' tall x 1' wide clump with fronds which emerge rosy red...hence, the common name. Our spores came from 5000' near the top of Maui's famed Mt. Haleakala. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
My first garden plantings of the sterile Adiantum x mairisii were in 1993, as a gift plant from the late fern collector Nancy Swell of Virginia. Not to be confused with the Chinese Adiantum mariesii, this reported hybrid of Adiantum capillus-veneris and an unknown baby daddy was discovered around 1885 at the UK's Mairis & Co. Nursery and subsequently named by Chelsea Physic Garden curator and fern collector, Thomas Moore. Adiantum x mairisii performs like a vigorous clone of southern maidenhair fern, but with very good winter hardiness. For us, expect a 3' wide deer-resistant patch of 1' tall, lacy maidenhair foliage in 5 years. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
.jpg "Epimedium wushanense (Wushan Fairy Wings)")
.jpg "Adiantum x mairisii (Mairis's Hardy Maidenhair Fern)")