Copper Shield / Buckler Fern Plants

Dryopteris erythrosora: Copper Shield / Buckler Fern. 2 Litre Pot Grown Plants

A fairly small fern that always gets noticed, the new growth is copper-ish, as if it were in Autumn. It matures to light green. It is practically evergreen in most of the UK. A fabulous plant for dark areas of the garden others won't reach.

Ferns are delivered pot-grown, year round. 
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Features

• New foliage is Autumnal copper, matures to light green
• Semi-evergreen
• Compact, medium sized
• Height x Spread under 1 metre
• Most soils & positions
• Hardy
• RHS Award of Garden Merit

Growing Copper Shield Ferns

Dryopteris are flexible and hardy ferns that are not fussy about soil quality or too much shade. They only moisture and good drainage in soil to thrive. Well-established plants are reasonably drought tolerant, but as with any plant, theywill need watering until then. Remove dead fronds from the base of the ferns to allow more light in for the remaining ones.

In Your Garden Design

These look absolutely fabulous illuminating dark shady areas of the garden where other plants fade into the gloom or will not thrive. They are great on gravel and make fantastic woodland plants too so plant under trees if you have them. Pair with zingy Heucheras such as 'Lime Marmalade' and 'Marmalade', with Primula veris to add a bit of prettiness. Heuchera Forever Purple would look good too, but alongside lighter plants so that they don't disappear into the shadows.

Did You Know?

Dryopteris means oak fern, referring to the shady deciduous forests that they love, and erythros + sora = red sori. A sorus, which means pile or heap, is a group of sporangia, the spore producing organ of ferns, and the same words are used for fungi's equivalent bits.