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:

 

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:

 

Blechnum spicant

Blechnum spicant
“Deer fern”
BLECHNACEAE

Evergreen Perennial Fern

Zone: 5 – 8
Native habitat (range): Native – Northwest America

Conditions
Soil: best in high organic content but will take wide range from clay to sand
Moisture: even moisture is best, tolerant of summer droughts
Light: part shade to full shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 2′ x 2′
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: clumping mound, arching
Leaf: fern-like, basal, leathery, pinnate, green, linear; separate sterile and fertile leaves, fertile fronds are upright, sterile fronds flop over
Flower: no flower
Bloom:
Other: rhizomatic

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: give adequate water for first few years
Maintain: low maintenance, cut out old fronds, (never coppice); fronds are delicate so take care
Propagate: divide by finding natural rosettes within and split in-between them; spore

 
Uses
Landscape: native, woodland, shade garden, container, mass planting, slope, mixed boarder, front of bed, edging
Companion planting: other natives, colour contrast white, burgundy (see above); under rhododendrons, paper maple; with hostas or helleboros
Medicinal: not known
Other:

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

Interest
Local info,: native, can find at China Beach
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: tidy tufted evergreen fern 2′, spreading, narrow, dark green, pinnate sterile fronds, erect fertile fronds
Identification (key features): Fronds: deeply-lobed, dark-chocolate coloured rachis; vegetative fronds, vase-shaped; reproductive fronds are upright.

    
Interesting facts:
Cultivation:
Comments: looks tidy all year

 

Lamprocapnos spectabilis

Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Syn. Dicentra spectabilis
“Bleeding Heart”
PAPAVERACEAE

Herbaceous Perennial 

Zone: 4 – 8
Native habitat : Pacific Northwest, woodlands

Conditions
Soil: humus rich
Moisture: moist, well drained
Light: part shade to full shade; protect from afternoon sun
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 24″ – 36″ x 24″ – 36″
Other: is fairly fragile

Aesthetic
Shape/stem: bigger, arching
Leaf: alternate, odd-pinnate with incised leaflets, green to yellow brown as dying down
Flower: raceme of pendant heart-shaped flower, red and white, 3cm
Bloom: late spring to early summer
Other: Often Spring Ephemeral (dormant for summer)

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: don’t plant where you will be working or digging a hole as disappears for summer
Maintain:  low maintenance, sheer back to 6″ after flowering (if in truly awesome conditions may get a second flush)
Propagate: seed, division (early spring)

Uses
Landscape: cottage, informal, woodland garden, native garden, herbaceous mixed bed, ground cover, cut flower, shaded area, behind a shed or in a hidden shady pocket to grounds
Companion planting: under lilacs or other deciduous shrubs/tree, with solomons seal, trillium, polygonatum, hosta, helleborous, ferns
Medicinal: not edible, toxic, some traditional medicinal uses, flower essence
Other:

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

Interest
Local info, not the native bleeding heart
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: hardy woodland herbaceous native, dormant in summer
Identification (key features): can tell apart by size of flower, arching stem, lacey leaves; this one has flowers heart-shaped, 3 cm, evenly spaced; leaves alternate, odd-pinnate with incised leaflets
Interesting facts: one of the red seal plants
Cultivars:
L. s. ‘Alba’ – well known, white bloom
L. s. ‘Gold Heart’ – well known
D. ‘King of Hearts’ – hybrid with fern like folliage and more compact (similar to D. formosa)

Comments:
my most favourite flower

Clethra barbinervis

Clethra barbinervis
“Summersweet” “Sweet pepperbush”
CLETHRACEAE

Deciduous Shrub

Zone: 6 – 8
Native habitat : China, Japan

 Conditions
Soil: fertile, humus, acidic
Moisture: well-drained, average to moist
Light: full sun to part shade
Exposure: general
Plant size (h x w): 10′ x 10′ (slow to grow)
Other:

Aesthetic
Shape/stem:
Leaf: simple, alternate, elliptic, serrate, heavily veined, turn yellow in the fall
Flower:  terminal raceme, fragrant, white, bell-shaped,
Bloom: late summer to fall

Treatment (how to…)
Plant: general
Maintain: low maintenance, minimal pruning
Propagate: seed, softwood cutting

Uses
Landscape: late summer interest (white bloom), woodland, shrub boarder, cottage, screen,
Companion planting: Rhododendron, other woodland plants
Medicinal: non known
Other:

Vulnerabilities
Pests and disease: none significant,
Deer resistant: unknown
Other animals:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase): 
Nature: large ornamental deciduous shrub with nice bark and late summer bloom
Identification (key features): deeply veined, alternate, elliptic leaf; blooms white long racemes late summer to fall
Interesting facts: RHS’s AGM winner
Cultivation:
Comments:

 

Impatiens omeiana

Impatiens omeiana
Perennial “Impatiens”
BALSAMINACEAE

Herbaceous Perennial – Groundcover

Zone: 7 – 9
Native habitat : China

Conditions
Soil: humus rich
Moisture: well drained, moist
Light: part shade to full shade
Exposure: general; hardy, will recover even twice from late spring frost damage
Plant size (h x w): 15″ – 20″ x spreads
Other:

 Aesthetic
Shape/stem: creeping (by stolons), bronze stems
Leaf: dramatic whorls, narrow, purple-green, green-yellow veins
Flower: small, orange-yellow/amber
Bloom: September, October
Other:
    
Treatment (how to…)
Plant:  general, leave room for it to spread
Maintain: low maintenance, deadhead
Propagate: layering, division

Vulnerabilities
Pests and Disease: none significant; 
Deer resistant: no
Other animals:

Uses
Landscape: ground cover, woodland garden, shade garden
Companion planting: in mass with itself, would look nice under rhododendron or other small trees/shrubs, with ferns
Medicinal: none known
Other:

Interest
Local info,: not native
Pot size (to purchase):
Identification (key features) :  distinct whorled leaves, waved margin, green-ish yellow veins
Nature: foliage plant, spreading, hardy ornamental impatiens 
Interesting facts:
Cultivars:
Comments: