Athyrium vidalii - Lady Fern

Athyrium vidalii is a rarely cultivated Asian species, beautifully coloured and particularly striking in shaded areas of the garden: its young shoots, called croziers, are strongly tinged with red-violet and unfold into golden juvenile fronds with red veins, among mature fronds that have turned green and red. This species is deciduous and very hardy, with a small size that allows it to be adopted even in small spaces, for example in a small shaded bed or near a water feature.

Athyrium vidalii is a lady fern native to wooded areas, valleys, and riverbanks in Japan, China, and Korea. Related to the Japanese fern Athyrium japonicum, it was discovered only about ten years ago. Like all so-called 'lady ferns', it belongs to the family of Athyriaceae.

Anchored on upright and ascending rhizomes, the plant forms a spreading clump, almost as wide as it is tall, reaching a height of no more than 60-70 cm (24-28in), with a fairly slow growth rate. In spring, wine-red croziers covered with almost black scales appear. They unfurl and elongate rapidly, releasing finely cut triangular fronds ranging from yellow-green to golden. They grow and mature gracefully, becoming greener, speckled with red, and slightly arching, supported a structure of vibrant burgundy red petioles, rachis, and veins. This fern is deciduous, its autumn foliage turning golden yellow before disappearing in winter.

All ferns in the Athyrium genus completely lose their foliage in winter. That being said, they are very cold-resistant, often have remarkably delicate fronds, and are very easy to grow in any moist soil enriched with leaf compost. Athyrium vidalii thrives in cool and even humid environments: near a pond or in a very moist area of the garden, which is not always easy to plant. In a Japanese garden, it will look great in a damp and shaded rockery or as a border for a less sunny pathway. This unusual fern deserves to be cultivated prominently, among a few well-chosen perennial plants such as Brunnera macrophylla 'Dawson's White', candelabra primroses, Rodgersia, or even arums. It also makes a good companion for Corydalis, bleeding hearts, and why not the mythical Himalayan blue poppies (Meconopsis)...