Common Ladyfern
Athyrium filix-femina
- Native to:
- Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Is., China, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Kuril Is., Labrador, Lebanon-Syria, Madeira, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, United States
No machine-readable author provided. MPF assumed (based on copyright claims).
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Pteridophyta | - Ferns
- Family:
- Aspleniaceae
- Genus:
- Athyrium
- Species:
- Athyrium filix-femina
- USDA Symbol:
- ATFI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
golden ghost moth (Sthenopis auratus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- shelter for small wildlife
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers shaded, damp woodland environments
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Propagates via spores which require moist, humid conditions and indirect light; spore germination is slow and requires sterile conditions.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Water spores with distilled water and seal flats with clear plastic wrap to seal in moisture and prevent fungal contamination. Place flats under 60 watt soft incandescent lights set at 12 hour per day illumination. A constant temperature of 20 C to 25C should be maintained throughout the growth of the prothalli.
Establishment: The protocols suggest different establishment phase lengths (2 to 3 months vs 1 month). Also, the protocols suggest different light cycles (12 hours vs 16 hours).
Source: npn.rngr.net