Dryopteris affinis
Blooming Time
Exposure
Impressive and stately, each spring D. affinis sends up tender light green fiddleheads from the center of its broad crown. A month later they develop into distinctly lance shaped, leathery, deep green, stately fronds. Golden scaled male fern takes its common name for the shaggy covering of golden-brown furry scales that cover its leaf stalks. Easily cultivated, it is clump-forming, semi-wintergreen, hails from Europe and Asia, and is an excellent companion to many companions.
Details
Hardiness Zone:
Blossom Color:
Growth Habit:
Clump Forming
Max Height:
3'
Texture:
Recommended Spacing:
We sell this plant in these containers:
Special Characteristics
Features
Distinctly lance shaped, leathery, deep green, stately leaves with shaggy golden-brown furry scales on their leaf stalks.
Landscape Value
Specimen, companion, accent, or massed as a ground cover.
Care
Watering:
Golden-scaled Male Fern is moderately drought tolerant but benefits from occasional watering, to maintain soil in a moist but not wet condition, during the summer months.
Fertilizing:
Golden-scaled Male Fern is a moderate feeder, benefiting from a couple of annual applications of slow release fertilizer. A spring application of a 3-1-2 ratio (such as a 15-5-10) can be applied at a rate of about 10 pounds per 1000 square feet, and during early fall, an application of a 2-1-2 ratio (such as a 10-5-10) can be applied to encourage root development and cold hardiness.
Pruning:
Golden-scaled Male Fern is a deciduous plant and does not require pruning. It is perfectly acceptable to allow the dropped leaves to decompose and nourish the soil.