Paesia scaberula

We have long been fans of scented lace fern, but its popularity and slow rate of spread leaves us rarely with any to share. Paesia scaberula is a New Zealand native hardy fern, which grows on dry, rocky cliffs and in open areas. Although Paesia scaberula lives for us in light shade, it really thrives in sun, where it forms a deciduous, rhizomatous patch to 3' wide in 2 years. The 1' tall fronds are incredibly lacy...one of the most finely divided ferns we've grown. The foliage of Paesia scaberula also contains terpenes, which smell delicious when crushed or pelted by rain showers. Imagine a fast-growing fern with leaves that look like a Rabbit's foot fern, and you've got the idea.