Ghost Fern
Athyrium x 'Ghost'
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Ghost Fern - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Fast, Safe Plant Delivery
Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
| Under $50 | $9.99 |
| $50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
| $100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
| $150+ | $24.99 |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Ghost Fern highlights at a glance!
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Botanical Name
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Brand
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Growing Zones4, 5, 6, 7, 8
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Growth RateModerate
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Mature Height
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Mature Width
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring
Characteristics
Where To Plant
When To Prune
- Early Spring
Water & Moisture Needs
- Moderate
Sunlight Needs
Soil Needs
- Well Drained
Growing Zones
The gossamer fronds and lacy foliage of the Ghost Fern (Athyrium x 'Ghost') are most noted for their gorgeous foliage. Growing in upright clumps, each delicate frond sparkles with a silvery overlay.
The unique foliage color is acquired from its Japanese Painted Fern parentage. While the upright habit is inherited from the Lady Fern side of the family. The combination creates a fantastic textural interest in any shade garden!
The finely divided, double pinnate gray-green leaf, with a silver frost, adds incredible lushness and texture anywhere it is planted! Each frond unfurls beautifully and is incredibly graceful, waving gently in the breeze! The slowly spreading clump of the frond's unique coloration is contrasted by the darker maroon midribs.
The fronds become more grayish-green as summer warmer temperatures arrive. Spreading politely throughout your garden, these slowly colonize their space without overtaking or overpowering an area! Hardy to a wide USDA planting zone range of 4 to 8, these soft and silvery perennial Ferns grow about 30 inches tall and 2 feet wide.
Planting and Application:
This Fern is best used in shade gardens or shaded borders as edging. Gracefully lining walkways and paths, or framing garden beds in greenery. Use to skirt the bare stems of shrubs and trees as edging, as a finishing touch, and facer plant. Seating areas, birdbaths, outdoor sculptures, and urns become the main features with a fringe of these around their bases. However, the more you plant, the stronger the ghostly effect becomes!
Gorgeous as a single specimen container planting, or in showy groupings throughout the shade garden landscape! Create a focal point planting by clustering these in a grouping of 3 or more for a stand-out accent! The fronds will shine in the Moon Garden surrounded by other plants with silvery foliage or white blooms!
Plant en masse under large trees and woodland edges of your property. Ghost Fern sparkles in the dappled sun as an underplanting or winding around your pathways and a shaded driveway.
Its love for moisture makes it fantastic when combined in Rain Gardens, with water features, and in shady gardens near streams or ponds! Include in your moist, shady Perennial and Cottage gardens as a lush green backdrop that highlights your other shade-loving plants and perennials.
Add to your Cutting gardens for season-long access to fantastic floral arrangement greenery and filler! Plant one as an accent or specimen planting in your favorite garden urn. Or highlight the Ghost Fern on a raised berm to further set it apart!
- Soft Gray-Green Fronds With A Silvery Sheen
- Darker Maroon Midribs
- Upright Growth With A Polite Spreading Habit
- Hybrid Cross of Lady Fern & Japanese Painted Fern
- Great for Edging, En Masse & Around Water Features
#ProPlantTips for Care:
These luscious easy-to-grow Ferns can gain decent height in the garden! Lending low-maintenance, tall greenery and a soothing silvery sheen that looks fantastic in the dappled shade. They also tolerate a bit more sun in cooler climates but always appreciate afternoon shade. Preferring full shade and afternoon shade in the warmer of its hardiness zones.
The Ghost Fern is easily grown in organically rich, medium to wet, well-drained soil. The best site for this plant is in a sheltered location. The Ghost Fern will tolerate more soil dryness than some other Ferns once established, but the roots must not be allowed to dry out completely.
A generous layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture as well as insulate the root system from heat and chill. Divide plants in the early spring before new growth emerges. In spring before new growth begins, tidy up the mounds by removing or gently raking away any old, dead debris.
Highly deer, rabbit, pest, insect, and disease resistant, Ghost Fern is a very tolerant and resilient garden addition. Providing visual interest throughout the growing season!
- Thrives In Shade & Partial Shade
- Any Well-Drained Rich Soil - Tolerates Drier Soils & Wet Soils
- Moderate to High Moisture
- Appreciates Mulched, Rich Organic Beds
- Deer & Rabbit-Resistant Easy-Care & Low-Maintenance
Enjoy the silvery fronds to highlight your dappled shade! Order the fantastic Ghost Fern for your landscape this year by ordering at NatureHills.com today!
