Northern Maidenhair

Adiantum pedatum

Northern Maidenhair

Doug McGrady from Warwick, RI, USA

Taxonomy

Division:
Pteridophyta | - Ferns
Family:
Pteridaceae
Genus:
Adiantum
Species:
Adiantum pedatum

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
2-3 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade, Shade
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Colors:
Not Applicable

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★★ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Florida fern moth (Callopistria floridensis)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers shaded woodland environments

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o