Godzilla Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Godzilla')
ah-THEER-ee-um nih-PON-ih-kum variety PIK-tum 'Godzilla'

Deciduous Perennial Arching, Clump-Forming in the Athyriaceae Family
 
Buy Godzilla Painted Fern
Size Notes Price Availability
Tray of 6 #1 gallons Field

Full; silvery-green laced foliage w/purple stems; VERY NICE (9/27)

 $102.15 Likely available
1/24 - 4/4

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Godzilla' is a giant-growing selection of Japanese painted fern, discovered in the mid-1990s at Plant Delights Nursery and believed to be a naturally occurring hybrid between the painted fern and Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina). True to its name, it forms a massive, arching rosette of silvery fronds with green highlights and dark purple stems -- dramatically larger and more vigorous than a typical Japanese painted fern.

Pros

  • Much larger and more vigorous than typical Japanese painted fern selections
  • Striking silvery fronds with green highlights and dark purple stems
  • Virtually pest- and disease-free
  • Deer and rabbit resistant

Cons

  • Needs significant space (4-6ft spread) that can surprise gardeners expecting a typical painted fern
  • Fronds die back completely at first hard frost
  • Requires consistently moist, humus-rich soil
Highlights

An oversized painted fern with the same silvery, dark-purple-stemmed coloring as the species but on a much grander scale -- a dramatic focal point rather than a small accent plant.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 4 - 6 feet wide.
Growth Rate Medium
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Partial Shade
Zones 3a - 8b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Colorful Foliage, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Filler, Full Shade, Good for Accents, Good for Borders, Good for Mass Planting, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Low Maintenance, Most Popular, Naturalizing, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period Non-flowering
Flower Color Non-Flowering
Foliage Color Silver-Gray, Green, Purple
 

In The News

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other shade perennials on a similarly generous scale, such as Hosta, Heuchera, Astilbe, Actaea, and Astrantia.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 05/18 - 10/04
2024 : 05/16 - 09/08
2023 : 06/21 - 09/10

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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.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

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!