There are a slew of different named Japanese Painted Fern cultivars out there and new ones are coming out all the time. We have grown thousands of Painted Ferns over the years and many of the named cultivars are not that unique or consistently from the natural variation in spore grown crops of regular Japanese Painted Fern. Every once in a while, however, we come across a cultivar that is worthy of a cultivar name. The ‘Pearly White’ Painted Fern is definitely distinct, sporting foliage that is dominated by a chalky white color which shows up wonderfully in the shady areas Painted Ferns prefer. While still toothed, the pinnae display a slightly more rounded character on the margins, with a pronounced downward curve at the edges (in some ferns this is called being “recurved”), giving the frond segments a bit of a white and pillowy look. This particular cultivar actually reminds me of a selected painted fern I received from an acquaintance in Alabama years ago that bore the name ‘Birmingham Belle’. As with other Painted Ferns, these are particularly delicious to slugs and snails, so protect emerging growth with crushed egg shells, mollusk traps or mollusk bait for best results.

Cultivation Information:

Frond Condition: Deciduous

Root System Type: Slowly Colonizing, Decentralized Rhizome

Mature Size: 12-15”, Low Arching

Origin: Selected from Japanese Painted Fern, Japan

Cultural Requirements: Part Shade to Full Shade, Evenly Moist, Protect from Slugs and Snails

USDA Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8