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Asplenium nidus

bird's nest fern

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
RHS Plant Shop from £12.99 Sold by 5 nurseries

  • Other common names bird's nest fern

  • Family Aspleniaceae

  • Genus Asplenium are evergreen ferns with short, usually erect rhizomes bearing a rosette of slightly leathery fronds which may be simple, pinnate to 3-pinnate

  • Details A. nidus is an evergreen fern forming a striking rosette of strap-shaped, undivided, bright green, fronds to 1.2m in length

  • Plant range Old World Tropics

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Tufted

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H1B

Colour

Sunlight

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect West-facing or South-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilLoam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 0.5-1 metres

  • Ultimate spread 0.5-1 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 10-20 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow outdoors in moist but well-drained soil with added grit in frost-free areas. Under glass in a mix of equal parts loam, course leaf mould or peat substitute, and charcoal. Provide bright filtered light

Propagation Propagate by spores

Suggested planting locations and garden types Sub-tropical

How to care

Pruning No pruning required

Pests Can get scale insects and leaf and bud eelworms

Diseases May be infected by a rust in mild, damp winters

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Asplenium nidus

bird's nest fern

Buy from £12.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £12.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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