Woodwardia fimbriata

RHS Plant Profile
giant chain fern

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Woodwardia fimbriata?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
giant chain fern James Lawrence
Award of Garden Merit
Ferns
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
31 Suppliers

an evergreen fern reaching up to 1.5m tall with erect, dark green,lance-shaped, twice-divided fronds

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
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)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Blechnaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Clump forming
Genus
Woodwardia are robust rhizomatous ferns with deciduous or evergreen, pinnate to bipinnate fronds, bearing spores in chain-like lines on the undersides
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
W N America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in neutral to acidic, moderately fertile soil with plentiful moisture. In frost prone areas, shelter from cold, drying winds and protect in winter with a dry mulch. See how to grow ferns for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division or from spores

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Remove dead or damaged fronds

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free