How to Grow Japanese Painted Fern
Athyrium niponicum
Your complete guide to growing Japanese Painted Fern.
When to Plant Japanese Painted Fern
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
Companion Plants for Japanese Painted Fern
✓ Good companions
Thrives in same moist, shaded conditions and provides contrasting upright flower spikes
Complementary colorful foliage that thrives in similar shaded, moist conditions
Compatible shade perennial with colorful foliage that complements fern's silver markings
Similar shade and moisture requirements, complementary foliage textures and colors
Provides seasonal color in shade while fern offers textural backdrop
Creates textural contrast while sharing similar cultural needs and shade tolerance
Similar silvery leaf markings and shade requirements create harmonious plantings
Native groundcover that shares preference for moist, rich, shaded soil conditions
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that inhibits fern growth and can cause yellowing and decline
Allelopathic compounds inhibit growth of nearby plants including sensitive ferns
Aggressive spreading habit can overwhelm delicate fern roots and compete for space