• Photo of Athyrium niponicum var. pictum (Athyrium niponicum var. pictums)

Plant Profile: Athyrium niponicum var. pictum

Names

Black Lady Fern, Japanese Black Lady Fern, Japanese Painted Fern, Oriental Ladyfern

  • Photo of Athyrium niponicum var. pictum (Athyrium niponicum var. pictums)

Phonetic Spelling:a-THEE-ree-um nip-PO-nih-kum PIK-tum

Genus:Athyrium

Species:niponicum

Family:Athyriaceae

The Japanese painted fern showcases fronds in shades of silver, green, or red and gradually expands through compact, short, creeping, and branching rhizomes, ultimately forming a dense clump. This plant is easy to cultivate, non-invasive, and tends to be slow in producing new fronds during the spring season. It thrives in partial shade and prefers moist, nutrient-rich soil with a high organic matter content. When grown in lighter shade, the Japanese painted fern exhibits its most vibrant colors, as excessive sunlight can diminish its hue. Consequently, it makes an excellent choice for a front border in shaded areas, woodlands, or shade gardens.

In terms of pests and diseases, this plant faces no significant issues.

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Feature Summary

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Image Gallery

Tags

#arching
#deciduous
#easy to grow
#shade tolerant
#shade garden
#fronds
#fern
#low maintenance
#rabbit resistant
#ncemgva2018
#cpp
#creeping
#summer flowers
#deer browsing plant
#dappled sunlight
#deer resistant
#branching
#partial shade tolerant
#HS302
#heavy shade tolerant
#buncombe sun and shade

Similar Plants

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum is often confused with:

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Feature Summary

Attributes
heavy shade; This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
Perennial
Fruit
No fruits. This plant reproduces via spores.
Flowers
Leaves
This plant has up to 20" tricolored fronds of maroon, medium green, and silvery gray that are arching and in a vase-like form. The triangular blade is broadly lance-shaped, bipinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid with toothed or rounded segments. The plant also has green with reddish rachis and pinna bases. This plant produces new fronds throughout the growing season with the first fronds in spring being the most silvery. New fronds may also develop during the summer.
Green
Gray/Silver
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
> 6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Good Drainage
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Shade Garden
Deer
Rabbits
Heavy Shade

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Attributes

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern Asia

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

heavy shade; This plant is seldom damaged by deer.

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Fruit

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Fruit Description

No fruits. This plant reproduces via spores.

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Flowers

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Flower Description

No flowers.

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Leaves

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Leaf Description

This plant has up to 20" tricolored fronds of maroon, medium green, and silvery gray that are arching and in a vase-like form. The triangular blade is broadly lance-shaped, bipinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid with toothed or rounded segments. The plant also has green with reddish rachis and pinna bases. This plant produces new fronds throughout the growing season with the first fronds in spring being the most silvery. New fronds may also develop during the summer.

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Gray/Silver
spa
Green
spa
Red/Burgundy

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Whole Plant Traits

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Cultural Conditions

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Stem

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Stem Color

grass
Red/Burgundy

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Landscape

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland