Nephrolepis cordifoliaSword Fern

Of all the ferns used in landscape work, Nephrolepis cordifolia is the one that will actually take the conditions. Narrow upright fronds, tolerance of poor soil and low light, and small underground tubers that carry it through dry spells make it far tougher than it looks.

It runs on stolons and colonises quickly, which is the point of it as a cover plant and the problem with it near natural bushland. It is a listed environmental weed in Florida, Hawaii, South Africa and parts of eastern Australia.

Specifications

• Height0.4 to 1 metre
• WidthSpreading indefinitely by stolons
• Native toTropical and subtropical Asia, Australia and the Pacific
• FoliageNarrow, upright, once-pinnate fronds in fresh green; evergreen
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilGrows on almost any free-draining soil, including poor, shallow and rocky ground
• LightPartial to deep shade, and full sun in humid climates
• WaterModerate; small underground tubers carry it through short dry periods
• ClimateThrives in tropical and humid subtropical regions and in conditioned interiors

Additional Features

• UsesShade ground cover under canopy, bank stabilisation, planters, hanging displays and interior schemes
• SpacingPlant 4 to 6 per square metre for a closed cover within one season
• Low MaintenanceShear back tired fronds annually; the plant regenerates from its tubers
• Pest ResistanceGenerally trouble-free, though scale appears on dry interior plants
• Erosion ControlA dense stoloniferous root mass binds shaded banks quickly
• VersatilityWorks as ground cover, container plant, hanging subject and interior groundwork

The Sword Fern is the practical choice for shaded ground cover, provided the site can accept a plant that spreads on its own terms.