Cheilanthes lanosa Cimbra - Hairy Lip Fern

Cheilanthes lanosa 'Cimbra' is a variety of this small evergreen fern that will grow in difficult conditions of heat and drought. It is very resistant to cold, but less so to humidity. Its 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12in) long fronds, are very hairy and have a fresh green colour with silver highlights. The pinnae are loose. The species is native to arid regions of the United States and Mexico. It can be grown in borders or rock gardens exposed to the sun, in well-drained soil.

Cheilanthes lanosa is a perennial fern belonging to the Pteridaceae family, native to the Southwest of the United States and Mexico. It grows on cliffs and rocky hillsides where it has adapted to extreme heat and aridity. This drought resistance is characterised by the silver hairs that cover the fronds, which capture morning dew and limit evapotranspiration during the day. Its species name, lanosa, means woolly in Latin and highlights the hairiness of the fronds. Cheilanthes lanosa 'Cimbra' forms a tuft that reaches a height and width of about 30 cm (12in) and persists throughout winter. The brown petioles carry fresh green fronds with silver highlights on the upper surface, while the reproductive cells (sori), arranged on the lower surface, are rust-coloured. Hardy down to -15°C (5°F).

Cheilanthes lanosa 'Cimbra' is best planted in spring, in well-drained and fertile, rocky, slightly acidic or neutral soil, in full sun or light shade. This plant does not tolerate excessive moisture during winter. It may be wise to grow it in a pot with well-draining substrate to protect it from intense winter rains. The dried fronds can be pruned in early spring. It thrives in a rock garden or on a wall and it pairs well with blue fescue grass, in terms of requirements and colour.

Although these ferns belong to a genus that is widespread worldwide, almost all of them are of tropical origin.