ebony spleenwort
Asplenium platyneuron
USDA zones3 to 8
SunHandles partial sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size6 to 12 inches tall6 to 12 inches wide
- Bloom color
- Non-flowering
- Foliage color
- Fertile leaves dark green. infertile leaves paler.
- Soil types
- Sand, loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Notes
Ebony spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) is a fern for low maintenance beds, shade gardens, and woodland settings. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes part sun to full shade and dry to moist, sandy or loamy soil. It is not a favorite of deer or rabbits, though hungry ones will eat almost anything. The shiny black stalk gives the fern its name. Short sterile fronds stay evergreen, while taller fertile fronds arch upward from the clumps.
Pairs well with Blue wood aster, Striped maple, and Autumn crocus.
Native range
North America east of the Rockies.