Walking Spleenwort is a naturally occurring hybrid fern that brings delicate evergreen elegance to shaded woodland gardens. This compact, creeping fern grows 9 to 12 inches tall and wide, with narrow, arching fronds that create an airy, textured groundcover. Found throughout the eastern United States as a sterile hybrid between walking fern and ebony spleenwort, it thrives in partial to full shade across hardiness zones 4 through 8, making it a wonderful choice for gardeners seeking a low-maintenance native fern.
Partial Shade
Moderate
4-8
12in H x 12in W
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Moderate
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This fern's creeping habit and shallow root system make it exceptionally useful for naturalizing in woodland settings and rocky terrain where many plants struggle. Its evergreen fronds persist through winter, providing structure and interest long after deciduous plants fade. Best grown in limestone-rich or slightly acidic soils with good drainage, it's remarkably resilient, tolerating heavy shade and rabbit pressure while remaining virtually pest and disease-free in the garden.
Walking Spleenwort is used primarily to naturalize woodland gardens, shade borders, and rocky slopes where its creeping growth habit and tolerance of heavy shade make it invaluable. It pairs well with other shade-loving plants and moss, creating naturalistic groundcover effects in native plant gardens and shaded landscapes.
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“Walking Spleenwort represents a natural cross between two native ferns, Asplenium rhizophyllum (walking fern) and Asplenium platyneuron (ebony spleenwort). This hybrid occurs throughout most of the eastern United States, including Missouri, and almost always exists as a sterile diploid form. Though it rarely produces fertile spores, this fern has persisted in gardens and wild spaces, valued by gardeners and naturalists for its unique appearance and ecological fit in native plant communities.”