Family: Adiantiaceae

This genus comprises around 80 species of ferns, which are native to tropical and subtropical Australia, New Zealand, America and South Africa. Most have short, creeping rhizomes and firm, dark green to light green leaflets, glossy above and paler beneath. The leaflets vary from linear to roundish oval to sickle-shaped, and the young fiddle heads (fronds) are folded over rather than rolled up, as they are in many other ferns. Pellaeas are suitable for growing in the garden and also for containers.

Species

P. falcata, sickle fern, from India and Australasia, has pinnately divided fronds and sickle-shaped leaflets on short stalks. A tough species, it does well in rocky or damp situations and is also suited to pots.

P. paradoxa, from Queensland and New South Wales, is like P. falcata, but the fronds are shorter and the leaflets fewer and broader, with a rounded base. It can be hard to cultivate.

P. rotundifolia, button fern, from New Zealand, has creeping, wiry rhizomes. The stems are covered in brown scales and the glossy leaflets are round to oval and widely spaced on short stalks. The upright to pendulous fronds are clump-forming. This species is quite tolerant of dry situations, but slow growing. It tolerates temperatures down to -5°C (23°F) so can be grown outside in zone 6, where it makes good groundcover in moist, acid, open woodland conditions.

Cultivation

There are hardy species which can be grown in the garden in moist soil with partial shade, and tender species (those described here) which, in climates prone to frosts, need to be grown as pot plants in a cool to intermediate greenhouse or conservatory. They grow well in pots of soilless potting compost. Shade plants from direct sun but provide good light. Outdoors plant in rich soil in a sunny position. Propagate by division in spring.

Climate

Zone 10 for most of the following species.