Rough maidenhair
Adiantum hispidulum · Pteridaceae
📷 Poyt448 Peter Woodard · CC0
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around rough maidenhair and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Common name
- Red-hair fern, Hispid maidenhair fern
- Foliage
- Evergreen, soft green to bronze depending on light
- Adult size
- 30 to 50 cm tall, 25 to 40 cm spread
- Growth
- Moderate to fast in optimal conditions
- Hardiness
- Cold-sensitive, minimum 10–13 °C
- Origin
- Australia, New Zealand and humid tropical zones
- Soil type
- Rich humus, well-drained, slightly acidic
- Exposure
- Bright indirect light, avoid direct sun
Care
Regular watering
Keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged. Water when the soil surface begins to dry slightly. During winter, reduce watering. Avoid hard tap water: prefer rainwater or filtered water.
Light and location
This fern appreciates bright, indirect light, away from direct sun rays which would burn the delicate foliage. A location near a north or east-facing window is ideal. It also dislikes hot air currents.
Suitable substrate
Use a mixture rich in organic matter: fern potting soil or a light mix of peat moss, peat and fine bark. Drainage is crucial to prevent rhizome suffocation.
Moderate nutrition
Apply diluted, balanced fertilizer (low NPK) once or twice monthly during the growing season (spring-summer). Ferns are not heavy feeders: excess fertilizer promotes harmful salt deposits.
Cleaning and maintenance
Regularly remove dead or damaged fronds at the base. Gently pinch young shoots to encourage compact, bushy growth. Gently wipe the foliage with a damp cloth to optimize photosynthesis.
Prevention and care
Watch for spider mites and mealybugs, favored by dry air. Increase ambient humidity through regular misting or a humidity tray. In case of infestation, isolate the plant and apply a gentle treatment based on neem oil.
Did you know?
Adiantum hispidulum is remarkable for its young fronds with reddish or coppery bronze hues that gradually turn soft green at maturity. This color change phenomenon, called heliochromism, is a natural adaptation to absorb diffuse light from the humid tropical forest understory where it grows naturally. Its Latin name 'hispidulum' means 'slightly bristly,' referring to the fine hairs covering young stems.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Maidenhair fernAdiantum capillus-veneris
- Northern maidenhair fernAdiantum pedatum
- Cheilanthes sieberiCheilanthes sieberi
- Parsley fernCryptogramma crispa
- Chinese ladder brakePteris vittata
- Adiantum aethiopicumAdiantum aethiopicum
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.