Adiantum Ferns or Maidenhairs

Adiantum capillus-veneris                Adiantum macrophyllum

This is the Southern maidenhair, Adiantum capillus-veneris.  When most people think of maidenhair ferns, this is what comes to mind.  However, there are over 200 species of maidenhair fern in the world and the majority of them do not look like this one.  There are large leafed  maidenhairs such as the Silver Dollar maidenhair, A. peruvianum and the colorful and large leafed  A. macrophyllum.  

Adiantums may be recognized (usually) by their shiny, smooth, black stipes. However, there are many Adiantum ferns which are known as the rough maidenhairs because their stipes are dull in appearance, and bristly (due to scales).  These ferns are basically neotropical.  They go by the names of Adiantum tetraphyllum and A. serrato-dentatum.

Maidenhair ferns are very popular and at times can be a little tricky to grow. But once you understand how they grow, then the growing is easy.

It is not fair to list easy growing versus difficult growing plants here because, some plants do better than others in different regions.  However, a universally easy plant to grow would be A. raddianum, and its many cultivars.  This is a very large group of maidenhair ferns.  It produces medium-sized leaves to tiny leaves.  In this group there are forms that range in color from light champagne, to red in their juvenile growth. 

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