Dryopteris atrata (Wall. ex Kunze) Ching

RHS Plant Profile

black fern

James Lawrence

Synonyms

Dryopteris hirtipes var. atrata
Aspidium atratum

Ferns Herbaceous Perennial

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A tall, robust fern producing a clump of slightly arched, bright green, lance-shaped fronds, up to 1m long, composed of many narrow, slightly overlapping pinnae

Position

Full shade, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

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

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full shade Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–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): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Dryopteridaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Dryopteris can be deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen ferns, with stout, erect or decumbent rhizomes and shuttlecock-like rosettes of lance-shaped to ovate, pinnately divided fronds
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Himalaya to Vietnam

How to Grow

Cultivation

Best in deep, fertile, well-drained, humus-rich soil in full or partial shade, with protection from cold, drying winds. See hardy fern cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by sowing spores as soon as ripe, or by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, but can remove and dead or damaged fronds as required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free