Onoclea sensibilis

Onoclea sensibilis or Sensitive Fern is a small deciduous fern with a creeping habit, very tolerant of exposure as long as it is planted in moist or even waterlogged soil. It bears remarkable pale green fronds, tinged with gold in spring, which are very bright in the understorey!

Native to North America and the Far East, and belonging to the Dryopteridaceae family, the Sensitive Fern is a fern with small growth (60cm (24in)), perfectly hardy, at least down to -15°C (5°F). It quickly forms a pleasant carpet and bears attractive arching fronds, a beautiful pale green that turns golden in spring and browns in summer. If it is called "sensitive", it is because it is one of the first to disappear in autumn with the onset of the first frosts.

As a good fern, it prefers rather acidic, moist, even waterlogged soils, but it is relatively tolerant of exposure: it will tolerate full sun as long as its feet are in water. It is a plant with creeping rhizomes that can become a little invasive if it likes its location.

In the garden, it will thrive vigorously in partial shade, in any moist soil where it can serve as ground cover. We recommend planting it alongside plants with the same needs, such as Astilbes and, if your garden size allows, Gunnera manicata or the Japanese Butterbur.