'Lady in Red' has sultry red stems surrounded by bright green, lacy fronds. New fronds arise gracefully from the crown all season long, keeping plants from getting worn looking. Clumps are dense and upright. This deciduous fern is vigorous and easy to grow. Ferns provide seasonal cover and hiding places for ground-feeding birds such as ovenbirds, waterthrushes, wood thrushes, robins and Carolina wrens.
Easy to grow; tolerates a wide range of soil and light conditions
Provides seasonal cover for birds and other wildlife
Good groundcover in shaded areas
Colorful fronds can be used in fresh arrangements
Woods; Newfoundland and Quebec to the Dakotas, south to Texas and Florida.
Fiddleheads are the young coiled fern leaves that resemble the spiral end of a violin. Most fiddleheads are edible in small amounts. Fiddleheads can be steamed, stir-fried, sautéed or baked.
Easy to grow in part to full shade. Tolerates sun if the soil stays moist. Prefers a well-drained soil with average moisture, but this fern tolerates drier soil than other ferns. Shelter from wind to protect fronds from breaking. If fronds become tattered, cut them to the ground and new fronds will emerge.