SEED ORDERS OVER $100 SHIP FREE!
Adiantum pedatum

Maidenhair Fern

$7.00

1–2
$7.00
3–11
$6.00
12+
$4.20

Because this fern is susceptible to frost heaving when planted in the Fall, we ship them in Spring only.

Maidenhair Fern is highly recommended for home landscaping; it makes a nice border with Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) and is deer resistant. This fern has black, wiry stems and delicate, airy, green fronds that curve into a semi-circle. They can grow up to 2 feet tall and about a foot across. They spread slowly by means of a creeping rhizome and are easy to grow in the woodland garden, provided it is not too dry. If so, they will go dormant and come back to life when there is enough moisture in the soil again. They grow well in the same kind of environment favored by hostas.  Another common name in use is Northern Maidenhair Fern.

Live Plant Shipping Table

Spring Fall Age/Size
Dormant Bare Roots
April/May N/A 2 years

Adiantum pedatum - Maidenhair Fern

Map Key

Present in state
Present but introduced in county
Present and native in county; not rare
Not present in state
Present and native in county; rare
Species extirpated (historic)
State or county listed as noxious
Present in state; exotic

This map shows the native and introduced (adventive) range of this species. Given appropriate habitat and climate, native plants can be grown outside their range.

2 Questions asked on Adiantum pedatum

How long would it take for one bare root plant to spread and form a small patch? Maybe enough to cover the ground around a tree?
Hi Jaden. Any bare root plant will typically require a year to two to establish in a new location, with site and local weather conditions having a direct effect on the growth rate. Maidenhair Fern is slower-spreading than other fern species and will typically produce new growth clumped very close to the parent plan. A single bare root Maidenhair Fern would need many many years to become the sole groundcover species beneath a tree. Ostrich Fern is a much larger fern that spreads quite a bit faster, with lanky rhizomes supporting new growth farther from the parent plant to cover more area.
We planted some bare roots of maidenhair fern a couple years ago and they are doing well! Iā€™d love to get them established in more areas of our yard. How will these do if I split some bigger patches? Is there a better time of year to do this? Thank you!
Hi Kara. Glad to hear your Maidenhair Ferns are doing so well! Take a look at those larger patches; if the mother plant is mature enough to send out offshoots, these baby ferns can be split off and transplanted to other areas. We recommend making splits in the early spring, preferably while the fern is still dormant or shortly after. Fall transplants are not recommended since unestablished ferns tend to frost heave.

Seed

Growing your own plants from seed is the most economical way to add natives to your home. Before you get started, one of the most important things to know about the seeds of wild plants is that many have built-in dormancy mechanisms that prevent the seed from germinating. In nature, this prevents a population of plants from germinating all at once, before killing frosts, or in times of drought. To propagate native plants, a gardener must break this dormancy before seed will grow.

Each species is different, so be sure to check the GERMINATION CODE listed on the website, in the catalog, or on your seed packet. Then, follow the GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS prior to planting. Some species don't need any pre-treatment to germinate, but some species have dormancy mechanisms that must be broken before the seed will germinate. Some dormancy can be broken in a few minutes, but some species take months or even years.

Seed dormancy can be broken artificially by prolonged refrigeration of damp seed in the process of cold/moist STRATIFICATION. A less complicated approach is to let nature handle the stratifying through a dormant seeding, sowing seeds on the surface of a weed-free site in late fall or winter. Tucked safely beneath the snow, seeds will be conditioned by weathering to make germination possible in subsequent growing seasons.

To learn more, read our BLOG: How to Germinate Native Seeds

Dormant Bare Root Plants

We dig plants when they are dormant from our outdoor beds and ship them April-May and October. Some species go dormant in the summer and we can ship them July/August. We are among the few still employing this production method, which is labor intensive but plant-friendly. They arrive to you dormant, with little to no top-growth (bare-root), packed in peat moss. They should be planted as soon as possible. Unlike greenhouse-grown plants, bare-root plants can be planted during cold weather or anytime the soil is not frozen. A root photo is included with each species to illustrate the optimal depth and orientation. Planting instructions/care are also included with each order.

Download: Installing Your Bare-Root Plants

Potted Plants

3-packs and trays of 32, 38, or 50 plants leave our Midwest greenhouses based on species readiness (being well-rooted for transit) and order date; Spring shipping is typically early May through June, and Fall shipping is mid-August through September. Potted 3-packs and trays of 38 plugs are started from seed in the winter so are typically 3-4 months old when they ship. Trays of 32/50 plugs are usually overwintered so are 1 year old. Plant tray cells are approximately 2ā€ wide x 5ā€ deep in the trays of 38 and 50, and 2.5" wide x 3.5" deep in the 3-packs and trays of 32; ideal for deep-rooted natives. Full-color tags and planting & care instructions are included with each order.

Download: Planting and Care of Potted Plants

*PLEASE NOTE: we are a mail order nursery and have no retail facilities, but you may pick up your order if prior arrangements are made. Pick up orders are subject to **MN Sales Tax.

Shipping & Handling Charges

SEED $100.00 and under: $5.00
Retail SEED orders over $100.00 ship free!

Custom seed mixes or discounted seed sales over $100, add 5% of the total seed cost
(for orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required)

BARE ROOT and POTTED PLANTS $50.00 and under: $9.00
over $50.00: 18% of the total plant cost. (For orders over $1,000 a package signature may be required.)

TOOLS and BOOKS have the shipping fee included in the cost of the product (within the contiguous US).

**We are required to collect state sales tax in certain states. Your state's eligibility and % will be calculated at checkout. MN State Sales Tax of 7.375% is applied for orders picked up at our MN location. Shipping & handling charges are also subject to the sales tax.

Shipping Season

SEED, TOOLS and BOOKS are sent year-round. Most orders ship within 1-3 business days.

BARE ROOT PLANTS are shipped during optimal transplanting time: Spring (April-May) and Fall (Oct). Some ephemeral species are also available for summer shipping. Since our plants are field-grown, Nature sets the schedule each year as to when our season will begin and end. We fill all orders, on a first-come, first-serve basis, to the best of our ability depending on weather conditions beyond our control.

POTTED PLANTS (Trays of 32/38/50 plugs and 3-packs) typically begin shipping early May and go into June; shipping time is heavily dependent on all the species in your order being well-rooted. If winter-spring greenhouse growing conditions are favorable and all species are well-rooted at once, then we ship by order date (first come, first serve). We are a Midwest greenhouse, and due to the challenges of getting all the species in the Mix & Match and Pre-Designed Garden Kits transit-ready at the same time, we typically can't ship before early May. Earlier shipment requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

*We are unable to ship PLANTS (bare root or potted) outside the contiguous US or to CALIFORNIA due to regulations.

Delivery

We ship using USPS, UPS and Spee Dee. UPS and Spee Dee are often used for expediting plant orders; they will not deliver to Post Office Box numbers, so please also include your street address if ordering plants. We send tracking numbers to your email address so please include it when you order.

FOR MORE DETAILED SHIPPING INFORMATION, INCLUDING CANADA SHIPPING RATES (SEED ONLY), PLEASE SEE 'SHIPPING' AT THE FOOTER OF THIS WEBSITE.

Details

Germination Code
S
Life Cycle
Perennial
Sun Exposure
Partial, Shade
Soil Moisture
Medium-Wet, Medium, Medium-Dry
Height
2 feet
Bloom Color
Green
Advantages
Deer Resistant
Highly recommended for home landscaping
USDA Zones
2-8
Plant Spacing
10-12"
Catalog Code
ADI02S