Polystichum neolobatum

Polystichum neolobatum
“Long-eared holly fern” “Asian sober fern”
POLYPODIACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Fern

Zone: 5 – 8
Native habitat (range): Asia

Conditions
Soil: rich; tolerate clay
Moisture: well-drained, moist, even moisture
Light: part sun to full shade, morning sun is best
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 24′ – 30′ x 24′ – 30′
Other:  takes dry shade

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clumping, stiffly upright to vase shape, arching stems, tidy
Leaf: fronds dark green, divided, glossy, leathery
Flower: no flower (reproduce by spores)
Bloom:
Other: fronds yellow in too much sun

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years and plant in the proper place
Maintain: Don’t cut all the leaves at the same time, groom off dead leaves as they appear, carefully. Top dress with well compost (do not fertilize).
Propagate: spores, division

Uses
Landscape: front yard, front of a garden bed, woodland, shade garden, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, edging, woodland margin, townhouse garden, winter interest
Companion planting:  nice with soft-textured ferns, and plants with paler green foliage; nice on its own or en mass
Medicinal: not known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: not native but adapts well to our conditions
Pot size (to purchase): 4″ -1g
Nature: evergreen fern with tidy form all year round
Identification (key features): upright form lasting through all seasons with shiny double pinnate fronds

Interesting facts: great plant pick
Cultivation:
Comments: fronds are so stiff that they do not collapse in our occasional snows

 

Dryopteris erythrosora

Dryopteris erythrosora
“Autumn Fern”
 Dryopteridaceae

Evergreen Perennial Fern
(deciduous in colder climates)

Zone: 5 – 9
Native habitat (range): E. Asia

Conditions
Soil: humus-rich, moderately fertile, slightly acidic
Moisture: must have even moisture
Light: part shade to full shade (best for colour), can take a bit of sun but will pale out
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 1.5′ – 2.5′ x 1.5′ – 2.5′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright form, clumping, triangular, loose form
Leaf: fern-like, basal, compound, pinnate, lance-shape to ovate, arching fronds, stunning coppery pink-red fronds in spring/summer, turning limey to deep green
Flower: no flower
Bloom:
Other: spreads slowly by underground rhizomes

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years easy-to-grow
Maintain: low maintenance, do not take out all old fronds at once but only remove the oldest ones as showing their age
Propagate: spores, division

Uses
Landscape: woodland, shade garden, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, front of bed, edging, container, woodland margin, townhouse garden, cottage
Companion planting:  hakonechlora, hostas or rhododendrons to create contrast and drama, companion plants with gold leaves and blue foliage look great against the deep green fronds of other ferns
Medicinal: not known
Other: grown for colour of new fronds

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: not native but adapts well to our conditions, evergreen in Victoria
Pot size (to purchase): 4″ -1g
Nature: evergreen fern with excellent coppery pink foliage  on new fronds Identification (key features): best id is bronzy-red new growth. upright young fronds

Interesting facts:
Cultivation:
Comments: autumn fern, is somewhat misleading, as it refers to the russet tones of the new fronds, which appear more in spring than in autumn; can’t go wrong, very tolerant

Asplenium scolopendrium

Asplenium scolopendrium
“Hart’s tongue fern”
ASPLENIACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Fern

Zone: 5 – 9
Native habitat (range): Temp. N. Hemis.

Conditions
Soil: lots of humus, will tolerate high clay content
Moisture: well-drained is essential, needs even moisture
Light: part shade to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 12″ – 24″ x 12″ – 24″
Other: needs optimum conditions

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clumping, shorter, contained, rosette, arching
Leaf: fern-like, basal, simple, rich green, strap-shaped fronds, 30-75cm, margins often undulate, undivided fronds
Flower: no flower, spores borne in conspicuous transverse stripes beneath the fronds
Bloom:

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years
Maintain: low maintenance, can wait till ned leaves come out then cut out older dying ones
Propagate: division (spring), spores

Uses
Landscape: wet area of a grade, front yard, fern grotto, woodland, shade garden, mass planting, shade mixed boarder, river bank coverage,
Companion planting: nice under  shrubs and trees light higher branching structure; combo ideas cyclamen, erythronium, trilium
Medicinal: not known

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: not native,
Pot size (to purchase):
Nature:  evergreen fern with good textural interest
Identification (key features): id by line of spores on back of undivided undulate frond as shown in photo;

Interesting facts: AGM winner
Cultivation:
Comments:

 

Mahonia nervosa

Mahonia nervosa
“Dull oregon grape”
BERBERIDACEAE

Evergreen Shrub

Zone: 6-9
Native habitat: Pacific Northwest into California

Conditions

Soil: any, prefers slightly acidic, rich soil high in organic matter
Moisture: well-drained, even moisture, drought tolerant
Light: full sun to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 2′-4′ x 2′-4′
Other: tough, can take dry shade, will need more moisture if grown in the sun
(if grown in the sun without adaquet water colour can be wine red)

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: oval,  multi-stemmed, orange bark in center (like the rest of the Berberis family), bark green when young, brown to grey with age; spreading by suckers to from loose ground cover
Leaf: Compound leaves, lustrous emerald green, glossy but duller than tall Oregon grape, 9-19 leaflets; each leaflet is strongly toothed,
Flower: panicles of canary flowers, dense above foliage 
Bloom: spring
Other: Fruit, waxy blue steel berries, 1/4″, (mid to late summer); spreads by stolons to form loose ground cover

Treatment (how to…)
Plant:  sow seeds in fall 1/4″ deep,
Maintain: no maintenance, can prune down to a node as needed, water after
Propagate: seed: collect August to September (30-50% germination), stratification (cold- 90 days), cutting: soft wood or root (root hormone, 2:1 sand to vermiculite)

Uses
Landscape: native garden, chorus plant, form to a garden in the winter, ground cover, woodland margin, wildlife garden, erosion control
Companion planting:  would look great as a groundcover for Red stemmed dogwoods, Corylopsis pauciflora, Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis and all witchhazels.
Medicinal: roots, berries, leaves
antimicrobial, hepatic, bitter, cooling > act on infection and liver
Internal (tea, tincture): heal liver stagnation, cool heat in digestion, mouth infection, eye infection, UTI, sore throat, acne, etc.
External (oil, sav): Inflammation in skin, eczema, psoriasis
Other:
Stem and root: yellow dye
Berries: edible, sour, tart, used to make jelly, sweeten with other berries in a pie, ferment into wine, purple dye
Berries attract wild birds; attracts the amara hummingbird

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: rust, scale, white fly (more stressed it is more susceptible will be)
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: rabbit resistant, birds eat berries, flowers attract pollinators

Interest
Local info,: native, very common in Victoria, often found in the understory of Douglas-fir forests
Pot size (to purchase):  1-2 gallon
Nature: tough native; Suckering spreading  shrub forms a loose groundcover
Identification (key features): broken bark exposes orange inner bark
number and height of stems, length and ; very similar to M. aquifolium , which is taller more glossy leaves and less leaflets per leaf; Also similar is creeping Oregon grape (M. repens).Interesting facts:  Mahonia is named after the botanist who identified it from samples retrieved by the Lewis and Clark expedition, Bernard McMahon;
Comments: not a true grape, slow growing in shade, helps restore soil, brings in local wildlife

Blechnum pennamarina subs. alpina

Blechnum pennamarina subsp. alpina
“Alpine Water Fern”
BLECHNACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Fern

Zone: 4 – 7
Native habitat (range): S Hemisphere

Conditions
Soil: richly organic, slightly acidic
Moisture: consistently moist
Light: part shade to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): up to 6″ x 6″ – 12″
Other: survive but will not thrive in drier conditions; don’t like mulch

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clumping/mat forming
Leaf: fern-like, basal, simple, pinnate, green
Flower: no flower
Bloom:
Other: rhizomatic (spreading);
>similar to this photo>

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years; rhizomes should be just under the surface so plant high
Maintain: low maintenance, Dead or damaged fronds may be removed as necessary, be sure it gets good water in a hot dry summer here
Propagate: division (spring), spores 

Uses
Landscape: fern grotto, woodland, shade garden, container, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, front of bed, edging, ground cover, bank coverage, rock crevice
Companion planting: nice under rhododendrons or other shrubs and trees light higher branching structure; combo ideas cyclamen, erythronium, trilium
Medicinal: not known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes
Other animals: generally rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: not native, grows well here
Pot size (to purchase): 4″
Nature: spreading ground cover evergreen fern
Identification (key features): height is key, simple pinnate fern-like leaves spread out in a mat of green, likes shade, moisture and rich soil

Interesting facts:
Cultivation:
Comments:

 

Galium odoratum

Galium odoratum
“Sweet Wdooruff”
RUBIACEAE

Herbaceous Perennial Ground cover

Zone: 4 – 8
Native habitat : Europe, N.Africa

Conditions
Soil: average to any
Moisture: well-drained, even moisture
Light: full sun to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 6″ – 12″ to spread indefinately
Other: to keep it in check (non invasive) only grow in dry shade


Aesthetic
Shape/stem: spreading, wide mat of erect stems
Leaf: bearing whorls of bright green, lance-shaped / spoon-shaped leaves, hay-scented
Flower:terminal clusters of small white-shaped, scented
Bloom: late spring to mid-summer
Other: rhizomatous; looks messy in fall when dying back

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: never plant in an interface area or mixed boarder
Maintain: no to low maintenance; to remove from an area dig out the shallow rhizomes and was all of the other plant roots in surrounding area
Propagate:  divide (into small pieces & even as soon as after 2nd year)

 Uses
Landscape: ground cover, container, shade garden, dry shade area, cottage
Companion planting: nice under a shrub or tree; given ideal conditions it will run through other more sensitive plants
Medicinal: none known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significantDeer resistant: likely
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native through there are other native species in the same genus
Pot size (to purchase): 4″
Nature: spreading ground cover; invasive
Identification (key features):  leaves simple, spoon-shaped, 2–5 cm, borne in whorls of 6–9; flowers small (4–7 mm), cymes, white with four petals joined together at the base
Interesting facts:
Cultivars/Species: 
Comments: highly invasive if given good conditions

Polystichum setiferum

Polystichum setiferum
“Soft sheild fern”
POLYPODIACEAE
(was Dryopteridaceae)

Evergreen Perennial Fern

Zone: 6 – 9
Native habitat (range): Europe (England)

Conditions
Soil: humus-rich, moderately fertile
Moisture: well-drained, moist
Light: part shade to full shade (best), can take a bit of sun
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 2′ – 4.5′ x 2′ – 3′
Other: takes some dry shade

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clumping mound, vase, low growing, sprawling
Leaf: fern-like, basal, compound, bi-pinnate (variable groups 2-, 3-, or 4- pinnate), soft, sage, 2-pinnate fronds, some with bulbils (fernlets) along midribs (stripe, rachis or stem), lancolate, arching
Flower: no flower (reproduce by spores or leaf buds)
Bloom:
Other: rhizomatic; vary a bit in overall look btwn sp.

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years
Maintain: low maintenance, cut out old fronds, (never coppice) as low as possible in Mid-March (prior to new fronds) new fronds are delicate so take care
Propagate: spores or leaf buds

Uses
Landscape: woodland, shade garden, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, front of bed, edging, container, woodland margin, townhouse garden,
Companion planting:  colour contrast white, burgundy; under rhododendrons, paper maple; with hostas or helleboros
Medicinal: not known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant
Deer resistant: yes (some deer will try)
Other animals: rabbit resistant

Interest
Local info,: not native but adapts well to our conditions
Pot size (to purchase): 4″ -1g
Nature: evergreen, soft fern
Identification (key features): Small (50cm) fern; fronds have ovate pinnate and a hairy (scaley), brown rachis
Interesting facts:
Cultivation:
Comments:

 

Parthenocissus tricuspidata

Parthenocissus tricuspidata
“Boston Ivy”
VITACEAE

Decidious Vine

Zone: 3 – 8
Native habitat : Japan and China

Conditions
Soil: any
Moisture: well-drained, can’t handle wet, drought tolerant once established
Light: full sun to full shade, dappled light shade to full sun for best colour
Exposure: sea spray and urban pollution
Plant size (h x w): 30′- 50’+ (fast to)
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: spreading, prolific growth, prominent lenticels, stem tendrils with adhesive pads, aerial rootlets, red stem
Leaf: 3-lobed, green, fall colours (red-orange), compound, alternate, ovate, dentate
Flower: panicle, insignificant, green-yellow
Bloom: summer
Other: vigorous, fast grower, spreading and roots as goes along; berries blue-black fall

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; water deeply till established
Maintain:  when getting too big cut hard right to the ground and remove all dead growth (when loosing leaves in fall); can cut hard in winter or summer to reduce size
Propagate: cutting, layering, seed (doesn’t set viable seed)

Uses
Landscape: climbing up a wall, fall interest, ground cover, screening, over a ugly shed

Companion planting:
Medicinal: none known, berries toxic
Other: will damage any building it attaches to and climbs on; parasitic to trees

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant;
Deer resistant: yes, mostly regarded as
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: doesn’t go to seed in Victoria so not considered invasive here
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: vigorous vine with aerial roots
Identification (key features): Leaves palmately compound with 3 serrated leaflets/ tri-lobed, green, red fall colour. Winter: dark blue berries; stems reddish; tendrils with adhesive pads; leaf lenticles prominent 
Interesting facts:
Cultivars: 
Comments: 

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Parthenocissus quinquefolia
“Virginia creeper”
VITACEAE

Decidious Vine

Zone: 3 – 8
Native habitat : North America

Conditions
Soil: any
Moisture: well-drained, can’t handle wet, drought tolerant once established
Light: full sun to full shade, dappled light shade is best
Exposure: sea spray and urban pollution
Plant size (h x w): 30′- 50’+
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: spreading, prolific growth, tendrils with adhesive pads / ariel rootlets, red stem
Leaf: 5-lobed, green, fall colours (red-orange), compound, alternate, obovate, serrate, leaflets to 15cm
Flower: cyme, insignificant, green-yellow
Bloom: summer
Other: vigorous, fast grower, spreading and roots as goes along; berries blue-black

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general; water deeply till established
Maintain:  when getting too big cut hard right to the ground and remove all dead growth (when loosing leaves in fall); can cut hard in winter or summer to reduce size
Propagate: cutting, layering, seed (doesn’t set viable seed)

Uses
Landscape: climbing up a wall, fall interest, groundcover, screening, over a ugly shed
Companion planting:
Medicinal: none known, berries toxic
Other: will damage any building it attaches to and climbs on; parasitic to trees

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant;
Deer resistant: yes, mostly
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: doesn’t go to seed in Victoria so not considered invasive here
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: vigorous vine with aerial roots
Identification (key features): Leaves palmately compound with 5 serrated leaflets, green, red fall colour. Winter: dark blue berries; stems reddish; tendrils with adhesive pads; leaf scars concave.
Interesting facts:
Cultivars: 
Comments: 

kirengeshoma palmata

Kirengeshoma palmata
“Yellow wax bells”
HYDRANGEACEAE

Decidous Rhizomatous Perennial

Zone: 5 – 8
Native habitat:

Conditions
Soil: rich, high organic material, no lime, loves mulch
Moisture: well-drained, good moisture, no wet feet
Light:  part shade m(partial morning sun to dappled) to full shade
Exposure: no wind, needs shelter
Plant size (h x w): 24″ – 48″ x 24″ – 30″
Other: very specific needs are required and can be difficult to get it to thrive


Aesthetic
Shape/stem: upright, mounding
Leaf: simple, green-yellow, ovate, incised, opposite off stem, upper leaves sessile 
Flower: clusters, 5 petals, campanulare, showy, yellow
Bloom: late summer to fall
Other: slow to establish but worth the wait

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: plant it in the right location and leave it; takes a while to establish but looks good
Maintain: easy care; leave till it looks like crap then cut it down; likes mulch but lightly; division rarely needed; no pruning needed
Propagate: division (spring and only a small piece needed); seed

Uses
Landscape: cottage, woodland, shade garden, contrast, fall interest, perennial boarder, specimen
Companion planting: nice planted with ephemerals; nice with other shady woodland perennials
Medicinal: none known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: slugs and snails can be a problem for emerging foliage
Deer resistant: maybe
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): buy biggest size you can find
Nature: finicky but beautiful
Identification (key features):  Greeny-yellow leaves, palmate like, large of petiole opposite on upright stems; clumping; flowers yellow bell-like late summer small against foliage, branched clusters
Interesting facts: AGM winner
Cultivars: