This is one of the pickier ferns in my woodland garden, especially when it comes to moisture: The northern maidenhair fern likes it moist but not wet. At the same time, it won’t survive if it dries out even a bit. Just a few yards further I have royal fern which likes much wetter feet. Watering is a balancing act sometimes, and it helps to bring along notes on the plant’s specific needs. Much like the patient in the nursing home, you don’t want to dispense the pills meant for someone else.
This fern is native to eastern North America. It’s beautiful and delicate, but the name actually comes from a practical application: Maidenhair fern contains an aromatic volatile oil long used as a rinse or shampoo that rendered black hair very shiny.
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