Blechnum occidentale ~ Hammock Fern

Blechnum occidentale has been a fantastic plant for woodland gardens. The Hammock Fern prefers lots of leaf litter, well drained soil and regular water. But it will survive and even look reasonable on a far more spartan diet. The Hammock Fern foliage gets cut to the ground during the Fall or early Winter. Blechnum occidentale comes back in the early Spring with this fantastic pink color. The remainder of the year the leathery leaves can keep a garden looking lush and green with little care. Blechnum occidentale can grow to 2 feet tall but is more commonly about a foot in height. The plants spread 3-6 inches per year and can fill a bed quite nicely. While their water needs are higher than Oaks might like it is significantly less than a lawn would need and they prefer the shade of the trees, where the lawn would surely struggle. The Hammock fern is root hardy to temperatures as low as 20° F.