Adiantum capillus veneris

Southern Maidenhair Fern, Venus Hair Fern, Venus Maidenhair Fern, Common Maidenhair

Southern Maidenhair Fern is a clumping, deciduous fern cultivated worldwide for its delicate, frilly looks and hardy nature. It is native to a huge part of the Earth, in temperate and tropical regions from the Southern half of the U.S. to Central America, South America, Europe, large parts of Asia and Africa, thriving in moist (but not saturated) habitats in warm climates. It is endangered in North Carolina, due to loss of Appalachian habitat. The plant is small, rarely more than 12 inches in height, and attractively delicate with fronds composed of triangular, lobed pinnules held in flat planes which flutter in a breeze. It is found in neutral to basic soils.