Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Red Beauty - Painted Fern

Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Red Beauty', more commonly known as the Lady Fern 'Red Beauty' or the Painted Fern 'Red Beauty', is a beautiful cultivar with very graphic foliage and colours. Its young triangular fronds with reddish reflections take on a silvery green hue, washed and veined with burgundy red. Of medium size, this variety develops into a large spreading clump and can gradually colonise a permanently wet area if the conditions are right. This collector's plant is a gem for surrounding natural ponds or damp woodlands.

The Painted Fern 'Red Beauty' belongs to the Athyriaceae (Dryopteridaceae) family. It is a cultivar that closely resembles the species Athyrium niponicum var.pictum, native to Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and northern China. Generally slow-growing in the garden, this fern will reach a height of 40 cm (16in) with a spread of 45 cm (18in). Once established, it becomes quite sturdy.

Athyrium niponicum 'Red Beauty' forms a clump with a spreading and branching habit from a central point. The young fronds appear painted with a mix of dark red and silver, with metallic reflections. The adult fronds, 25 to 45 cm (10 to 18in) long, are bipinnate, deciduous, pendulous, triangular, and toothed. The rachis (central vein) and stems have a purple hue that slightly spills over onto the pale green fronds, which are widely marked with silver zones. This variety sometimes takes several years to show a truly purple colour. It has a scaly, reddish-brown running rootstock.

Plant 'Red Beauty' Athyrium niponicum in humus-rich, moist to damp, neutral to slightly acidic but well-drained soil. It is primarily a plant for filtered light and moist soil, or partial shade, where it will reach its full potential in very damp woodland or near water. It also thrives in rockeries with rich soil and partial shade, where it can reach impressive dimensions over time. It pairs beautifully with Corydalis, hostas, actaeas, Solomon's seals, lily of the valley, brunneras, and trilliums. It adapts well to cultivation in large pots, in the shade, with regular fertiliser, allowing you to enjoy its refined and luminous foliage up close.