Cheilanthes tomentosa

RHS Plant Profile
woolly lip fern

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Cheilanthes tomentosa?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
woolly lip fern Dorling Kindersley Ltd
Alpine Rockery Conservatory Greenhouse Ferns
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
7 Suppliers

An evergreen fern with dark, grey-green leaves, 15-30cm long, with silvery scales underneath and purple-black stems

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–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)
H4

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Pteridaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Cheilanthes are typically evergreen ferns, producing dense clumps of small fronds on shiny, often black, stalks
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
S USA, Mexico

How to Grow

Cultivation

Will not tolerate winter wet. Grow in sharply-drained, gritty, humus-rich soil in full sun, with protection from winter rain. Otherwise grow under glass in full light, with low humidity and good ventilation, in a mix of equal parts peat-free, loam-based potting compost and coarse grit plus 10 percent added charcoal, and water sparingly. See how to grow ferns for further advice

Propagation

Sow spores at 16°C as soon as ripe. Division in spring is possible, but rhizomes resent disturbance

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Rock garden
  • Banks and slopes

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Fungal root rot may be a problem under glass