Botanical name:

Austroblechnum penna-marina

Common name(s):

Little hard fern, alpine hard fern

About:

A widely distributed and somewhat variable fern across New Zealand, this species thrives in open grasslands, light scrub, and the edges of forests. The sterile fronds resemble a ladder, reaching widths of up to 2.5cm and lengths of 15-30cm. The leaflets exhibit a bronzy green hue, with reddish tones often visible in more exposed environments. In contrast, the fertile fronds are notably long, featuring narrow leaflets that are spaced apart. This fern spreads through creeping rhizomes, quickly establishing a dense mat, making it an excellent ground cover for rock gardens and beneath shrubs. It is easy to cultivate in open or semi-shaded areas with adequate moisture.

Natural habitat:

Coastal to alpine (mostly montane to alpine in the northern part of range, and scarce north of the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato) in open forest, subalpine scrub, grassland, alpine herb-field, turf (including coastal turf) and in moss field on the shaded sites of rock outcrops.

Growing environment:

Frost, Sun, Shade, Salt, Wetland, Wind, Coastal & Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

New Zealand’s North, South, Stewart, Chatham, Antipodes, Auckland, Campbell Islands. Also Macaquarie Island, Australia, South America and several other circum-Antarctic islands.

Height: 30cm

Flowering: N/A Spore producing.

Fruiting: N/A

Uses:

Riparian plantings, Forests, Pioneer Plantings, Ground cover & Container Friendly.

How to grow:

Easily grown from spores and by the division of established plants. Does well in shade or the open but prefers a damp soil. An excellent ground cover fern.