Lady in Red Northern Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum 'Lady in Red')
ah-THEER-ee-um fil-lix-FEM-in-ah variety angustum 'Lady in Red'
Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Athyriaceae Family
Buy Lady in Red Northern Lady Fern
Size
Notes
Price
Availability
Vibrant Burgundy running throughout the stipe into the green fronds.
Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum 'Lady in Red' is a selection of native Lady Fern discovered by John Lynch of the New England Wildflower Society in Vermont. It is prized for its dark, brilliant red-violet stipes (leaf stalks), which emerge in spring and hold their color well into the season even as the lacy, light green fronds mature. Fronds typically reach 18-30 inches tall in a compact, slow-spreading clump. Like the species, it thrives in partial sun to full shade with consistently moist, humus-rich soil, and makes a colorful accent in the woodland or shade garden, especially paired with bold-leaved companions like hostas.
Pros
Striking dark red-violet stipes contrast beautifully with lacy, light green fronds
Compact, tidy clumping habit that rarely needs division
Deer resistant
Thrives in the same moist shade conditions as its parent species
Cons
Fronds die back completely at first frost
Needs consistently moist, organically rich soil
Slow to establish a full-sized clump
Highlights
A striking selection of native Lady Fern discovered by John Lynch of the New England Wildflower Society in Vermont, prized for its dark, brilliant red-violet stipes that contrast dramatically with lacy, light green fronds.
Plant Data
Mature Size
18 - 30 inches
tall. 18 - 24 inches
wide.
Growth Rate
Slow
Sun Exposure
Full Shade - Partial Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Medium - Wet
Zones
3a - 8b
(Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags
Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Filler, Full Shade, Good for Accents, Good for Borders, Good for Mass Planting, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Wet, Woodland Garden Ferns
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
Estimated Recipe Cost
The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.
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We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region.
It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.
Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!