Blechnum occidentale
has been a fantastic plant for woodland gardens. The Hammock Fern
prefers lots of leaf litter, well drained soil and regular water.
But it will survive and even look reasonable on a far more spartan
diet. The Hammock Fern foliage gets cut to the ground during the
Fall or early Winter. Blechnum occidentale comes back in the early
Spring with this fantastic pink color. The remainder of the year the
leathery leaves can keep a garden looking lush and green with little care. Blechnum
occidentale can grow to 2 feet tall but is more commonly about a foot in
height. The plants spread 3-6 inches per year and can fill a bed
quite nicely. While their water needs are higher than Oaks might
like it is significantly less than a lawn would need and they prefer the
shade of the trees, where the lawn might struggle. The Hammock fern
is root hardy to temperatures as low as 20 degrees.
High
resolution images of Blechnum
occidentale are available.
