Cyrtomium fortunei (Japanese holly fern)

Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

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Botanical Name: Cyrtomium fortunei sir-TOE-mee-um for-TOON-ee-eye Common Name: Japanese holly fern Synonyms: Phanerophlebia fortunei Genus: Cyrtomium

Usually found in moist, rocky areas or woodland in central and eastern Asia, this evergreen fern is deciduous in colder climates. Fronds may be cut to the ground in spring if damaged by dry winter winds. The distinctive fronds make great accents among groundcovers, or in drifts with perennials, shrubs, and trees.
Noteworthy characteristics: Leathery 1.5- to 2-foot-long, upright, evergreen, pale green fronds with distinctive, broadly scythe-shaped leaflets.
Care: Grow in moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained, neutral to acidic soil. Where marginally hardy, plant in the shelter of a rock and mulch the crown with straw in winter.
Propagation: Sow spores in late summer. May also be grown from rooted bulbils collected from the base.
Problems: Common: fungal spots, root rot, and scale insects.

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Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

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