Plant Guide

Other Names:  Rabbit's Foot Fern, Gold Foot Fern, Polypodium

Description:

A clumping fern variety producing irregular, arching fronds of blue-green foliage; a nice groundcover for a woodland area; great in hanging baskets or containers, for indoors or out

Ornamental Features

Blue Star Fern's attractive ferny pinnately compound leaves emerge chartreuse in spring, turning bluish-green in colour the rest of the year on a plant with an arching habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Star Fern is a dense herbaceous annual with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering

Blue Star Fern is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Blue Star Fern will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.

Blue Star Fern is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.