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A large growing species from Australia that I bought at a show recently. Sometime before 2011 World of Ferns wrote online: "A large tough handsome fern native to the east coast of Australia and New Zealand. It can be known as the Giant maidenhair or the Black Stem Maidenhair with dark green foliage in a triangular outline. Can grow in tropical to sub-tropical conditions." Tarn Studio say: "Commonly found in wet sclerophyll forests and rainforests of the Sydney Basin, this species is a highly underrated garden plant. Its large triangular fronds are much more elegant than the well known exotic Adiantum raddianum. It’s colour is also less garish. It is a particularly deep-rooted Adiantum (or more correctly, ‘deep-rhizomed’), which makes it surprisingly drought tolerant. Having said this, it still prefers a consistently moist substrate, and will require watering in dry periods unless you can accept some browning off. " Sue Olsen says: "Adiantum formosum (beautiful), plumed maidenhair or giant maidenhair, is from Down Under, especially Australia. It offers an unusual outline with broadly triangular fronds with pinnae that are tripinnata to quadripinnata at their basal attachment to the rachis, but narrow abruptly to whips if extended once-pinnate wings at mid-pinnae. In nature the rhizomes are deeply burried (aiding hardiness and possibly fire resistance), creeping, and branched, producing majestic fronds to 3ft (90cm) or more. In gardens they acclimate and spread, sometimes with abandon, in moist humusy soil in the warmth of Zones 9 and 10." |
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| 29th July 2025 | ||
