Keep track of your plants with reminders & care tips – all to help you grow successfully
My plants
My calendar
My ideas
My advice
For the latest on RHS Shows in 2021, read more
North Yorkshire
Essex
Devon
Surrey
Greater Manchester
General enquiries 020 3176 5800 Mon – Fri | 9am – 5pm
Help us achieve our goals
Make a donation
We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.
Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.
When using this search
Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of suppliers.
AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:
This plant will provide nectar and pollen for bees and the many other types of pollinating insects.
It is included in an evolving list of plants carefully researched and chosen by RHS experts. Divided into 3 groups these lists, linked below, are maintained by a team of RHS staff and are reviewed annually.
Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9
Other common names sensitive fern bead fern
Japanese ostrich fern ostrich fern
Family Onocleaceae
Genus Onoclea are deciduous ferns with creeping rhizomes and pinnately divided sterile fronds; spores borne on more erect, blackish, contracted fertile fronds
Details O. sensibilis is a deciduous, rhizomatous fern forming extensive colonies of broad, light green, pinnate fronds to 60cm in length, the pinnae deeply lobed. Shorter, narrow fertile fronds have much reduced, blackish lobes
Plant range E North America, Asia
Foliage Deciduous
Habit Suckering
Hardiness
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H6
Full Shade
Partial Shade
Aspect East-facing or South-facing or North-facing or West-facing
Exposure Sheltered
Clay
Loam
Sand
MoistureMoist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
SoilClay, Loam, Sand
pHAcid, Neutral
Ultimate height 0.5-1 metres
Ultimate spread 1.5-2.5 metres
Time to ultimate height 5-10 years
Cultivation Easy to grow in most cool, moist, shaded sites. Good for pondside plantings but may become invasive in smaller gardens
Propagation Propagate by sowing spores as soon as ripe or by division in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs Low Maintenance Cottage & Informal Garden Wildflower meadow
Pruning Dead or damaged fronds may be removed as necessary
Pests Generally pest free outdoors
Diseases Generally disease free outdoors
RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team.
sensitive fern
Buy from £6.99 at the RHS Plants Shop
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.