Deer Fern
Blechnum spicant
- Native to:
- Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Is., Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Kriti, 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
Hans Hillewaert
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Pteridophyta | - Ferns
- Family:
- Aspleniaceae
- Genus:
- Blechnum
- Species:
- Blechnum spicant
- USDA Symbol:
- BLSP
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- shelter for small invertebrates
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Notes:
- Evergreen fronds are susceptible to fire damage; plants typically regenerate from rhizomes if fire intensity is low.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- good drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers shaded or semi-shaded environments
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Ferns reproduce via spores rather than seeds; spore germination requires very moist conditions and can take several weeks to months.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI