Cheilanthes are one of several genera of delightful, small, dry-land, deer-resistant ferns that grow in full sun. Plants in the genus Cheilanthes are native to countries throughout the world. The native American species range from coast to coast in the cracks of alkaline rocks. Many of the desert cheilanthes species that we have tried have thrived in our well-drained beds...another excuse to build a rock garden. As our specimens produce spores, we'll be able to offer more Cheilanthes ferns for sale.
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Cheilanthes belongs to a class of ferns called "sun ferns". Plants in this group are unlike the typical shade-loving, soil-dwelling ferns we are all know. The sun ferns live on rock outcroppings in exposed sites. As you might expect, Cheilanthes ferns are drought-tolerant and very tough. Cheilanthes are great ferns for containers, rock gardens, tucked into stone wall crevices and are excellent small specimen plants. When you are ready to buy cheilanthes for your garden, check out our online list of cheilanthes 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!
This dwarf fern is one of our most treasured members of the family...the fern family. I observed the dryland sun fern, Cheilanthes argentea growing in both mainland China and Taiwan, native to rock outcrops, stone walls, and other such calcareous sites. The top of the star-shaped leaf is a rich green, but underneath (ok...you can look now) is a thick, silvery white coating like that stuff we put on tin roofs to prevent leaks...AWESOME! This cute little deer-resistant dryland lover is a great choice for the rock garden, but good drainage is essential for success. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This is a great smaller native East and Midwest US fern for the rock garden, or for that matter, any garden. Eventually reaching 8" in height with a spread of 15", this extremely drought-tolerant fern is composed of durable, olive-green, deer-resistant evergreen fronds. Cheilanthes lanosa grows equally as well in a sunny spot or in part shade...good in acid or alkaline soils. This offering represents our spore-grown plants from a Paul James accession from the Montgomery County, Virginia shale barrens. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We have been very pleased with the ease of growing this xeric (likes it dry) fern from rocky outcrops in New Zealand and Australia. This charming dwarf fern makes a tight 6" tall clump of stiff black stipes, each adorned with stiff, green, crinkly foliage. Cheilanthes distans is an easy-to-grow rock garden specimen from Zone 7b south, and in the North it is a great container specimen. The key for success with Cheilanthes distans is a dry spot in the winter months. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This 2003 Hans Hansen collection comes from the Da Lu region in Sichuan, China at 10,000' elevation. In the garden, you can expect a small 10" tall x 15" wide clump in five years. Not only does this represent different genetics from the form that is usually sold, but the branching on the bottom pinnae is much more exaggerated...if that kind of thing gets you excited. As with all Cheilanthes argentea, the leaf back is a lovely silvery white. Good drainage and a couple of hours of sun is where we have had the best success. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This accession of the 4-pinnate South African desert ferns hails from 4,000' elevation in the Eastern Cape near the town of Cathcart. Cheilanthes quadripinnata is a charming 10" tall clumper with finely cut foliage held on a jet black stipe that feels like hard plastic. In the wild, Cheilanthes quadripinnata occurs in rocky cracks just below the high forests. For us, it occurs in our full-sun rock garden. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
So, how many South African ferns do you grow? This virtual goldmine of hardy ferns has been ignored by most temperate fern gardeners. We are pleased to offer Cheilanthes quadripinnata...a charming little, 10" tall deer-resistant sun fern from the Lesotho region of South Africa, where it occurs up to 11,000' elevation. Many of the plants from the same region are hardy through Zone 6, but we have only taken the plant to 8 degrees F so far. The finely cut foliage is held on a jet black stripe that feels like hard plastic. In the wild, Cheilanthes quadripinnata occurs in rocky cracks just below the high forests. For us, it occurs in our part sun rock garden. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This is a great smaller native eastern/midwestern US fern for the rock garden or, for that matter, any garden. Eventually reaching 8" in height with a spread of 15", this extremely drought-tolerant fern is composed of durable, olive green, deer-resistant fronds. Cheilanthes lanosa grows equally as well in a sunny spot or in part shade...good in acid or alkaline soils. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
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