Slender Crested Male Fern 'Linearis' (Dryopteris filix-mas)

Slender Crested Male Fern 'Linearis'
Dryopteris filix-mas

Linear Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis')

Equil - I'm getting ready to massacre some Petasites that's overstepped its bounds in one of our gardens and my intentions are to plant a ton of Ferns. This is one of them on my list. I've never seen it in the landscape and wondering what your experience is with it - how long have you had it, height, etc? It does have a unique form but if it's not going to get as tall as the typical "Male" - I want to make sure I place it correctly so it doesn't get swallowed by the foliage of some of the other big "boys".

Debbie

Hey Debbie,

That one isn't mine but I do have them. Mine are newly planted this year and considerably smaller. That one I photographed was at the Rotary Gardens.

Based on what little I know, they appear to like a slightly acidic soil. Other than that, mine seemed to be perfectly happy hanging out in part shade in a moist well drained area of the property. I have been preparing the area in which I planted them for a few years. I've been picking up mulched leaves and loading the area heavily. Not much more I can add at this time. Might be better to ask me more about this fern in a few years when I have some experience under my belt.

Oops, forgot to add that it was my understanding it did not attain the heights of the typical "Male". I do have straight species Male Ferns at my house and they are in their third year and are doing fine.

Thanks Laura, I'm having quite a time trying to decide where to locate the different Ferns - thinking this one needs to be a front or mid border Fern and let the big boys hang out in the back. If the Linearis does grow too tall I can always move it!

You don't practice stick gardening when in doubt? Stick it here, stick it there, stick it anywhere you can and if you later learn you stuck it in the wrong place... repeat the process?

Seriously, I stick plants in the location where I think they will do the best. If they hobble along or outperform my expectations for them, I will stick them somewhere else. I think I'm doomed to be a stick gardener for the rest of my life.

Lauren

LOL - I think we're basically all stick gardeners! The only way we can learn from our mistakes :)

This message was edited Oct 20, 2006 1:39 PM

I feel much better now! I was worried there for a bit that you might be one of those Better Homes and Gardens type gardners where every thing is perfectly in place just as if Mary Poppins created the garden herself ;)

No Mary Poppins here - just trying to find space for everything! Went outlet shopping with the girls this weekend in northern Virginia so no time in the gardens but we just HAD to stop by a couple of nurseries :) Picked up one more that I need to find a spot for - Selaginella braunii (Arborvitae Fern) - a really nice one that I've been wanting to try, so now one more hole to dig - back to the gardens today! Also picked up a great arbor that I need to incorporate into the area I'm working - hubby hasn't even seen it yet since it was dark when I got home - hope he likes it! Been trying to find one so I'd have a place for some of the Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls' planted and this one should work :)

Did you ever get your new arbor up or were you too much on the run?

EQ, you've got mail :)