Japanese Painted Fern

Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'

Nature Hills Nursery

Silvery-Gray Foliage with Purple Veining Creates Luminous Shade Garden Color
Cold Hardy: Thrives in Zones 3-8
Grows 1-2 ft Tall and Wide
Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant
Excellent Border in Rock Gardens

$16⁹⁹

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Plant Size

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: These ferns thrive in full to part shade. They need less than two hours of direct morning sun to maintain their silver and burgundy colors. Too much sun will bleach the fronds and scorch the edges.
Soil: They prefer rich, organic soil that mimics a forest floor. If you have heavy clay, mix in several inches of compost to improve drainage. In sandy soil, add peat moss to help hold onto essential moisture.

Watering Requirements

During the first growing season, water twice a week to keep the soil consistently moist while the roots establish. Once mature, the Japanese Painted Fern remains moderately thirsty and will droop or develop crispy brown tips if the soil dries out completely. While they can handle brief dry spells, keeping the ground feeling like a wrung out sponge ensures the most vibrant frond production.

Pruning Tips

This fern is deciduous and grows entirely on new wood each spring. Do not cut back the old fronds in the fall because they provide a layer of insulation for the crown during winter. Instead, wait until you see new "fiddleheads" emerging in early spring to trim away the dead, brown growth from the previous year. This simple cleanup allows the fresh foliage to take center stage without being obstructed by debris.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow release fertilizer or a layer of rich compost in early spring just as new growth appears. Avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer. Excess nitrogen during the fall encourages soft new growth that will not have time to harden off before the first frost, leading to preventable winter damage.

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Plant specifications
Plant Characteristics	Cold hardy, Deer-resistant, Wet Soils, Groundcover, Container Friendly, Drought resistant, Flowering, Attracts pollinators
Hardiness Zone	4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Sunlight	Partial shade
Height	1-2 ft
Width	1-2 ft
Watering Needs	Moderate
Preferred Soil	Peaty
Growth Rate	Moderate
Growth Habit	Bushy, Compact, Upright
Plant Life Cycle	Perennial
Blooms In	Spring
Foliage Color	Green, Other, Purple, Variegated
Suitable Space	Indoors, Outdoors
Plant Name	Fern
Botanical Name	Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'
Species	niponicum
Cultivar	Pictum
Class	Polypodiopsida
Does Not Ship To	AK, HI, ID, MT, PR

Make your landscape sing this season! It's easy when you choose the right plants to breathe life and color into even the dimly lit corners of your yard. Put the beautiful foliage of Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum') will have all eyes turning towards this shade-loving attention-getter!

Japanese Painted Fern has a 'weeping' shape. It develops into a grand garden fountain...but remains miniature-sized. These gorgeous ferns feature an incredible display of "painted" grayish-green leaves. You'll be fascinated by their purplish veining and accents and entranced by their overlay of silvery hues.

This exquisite selection is a garden standout and every leaf is a masterpiece! This is a great addition to your landscape. Even beginning gardeners will be able to enjoy watching this fern grow and spread to cover ground. Growing throughout chilly USDA planting zones 3 to 8, these colorful perennial Ferns grow under 2 feet tall and wide at maturity!

Planting and Application:

Perhaps you've tried other plants in your toughest shaded spaces...but nothing seems to take hold and thrive. Never fear, the rugged Japanese Painted Fern has won top accolades for good reason! Japanese Painted Fern performs beautifully in those mossy, low places in your yard that always stay a little wet. It thrives even in deep shade and in containers as a focal point planting!

Grant the shady spots in your garden some well-deserved attention. This award-winning choice brightens up the lowest layers of your design with its intricate, finely cut, silvery leaflets and dark maroon midribs and stems. Working under mature trees and their dappled-to-shaded understories, and along the north side of your home.

You'll never overlook the silvery, gray-green, and maroon hues of each feather frond. Turn a high-profile eyesore into a true design feature. While a single specimen can look extraordinary in small space gardens...this plant truly shines in a massed planting. Space them 12 inches apart and they'll grow together in a magnificent groundcover.

Run them all along the eastern edge of your Hydrangea beds. They'll bridge the gap to ground your mixed shrub borders with an elegant ribbon of color. Pair Japanese Painted Fern with Hostas and Heucheras for a spectacular shade garden. They'll thrive in low-lying spots beside stream beds.

More prosaically, why not elevate the look of that despised hollow by the gutter with some Rushes and a mix of our flowering Astilbe - turning it into a Rain Garden? This treatment would be amazing at the edge of a pond or water feature. You'll want to site a dock with a glider to take in the beauty of this thoughtful arrangement each morning with your cup of coffee.

Try them as a hard-working underplanting for your favorite Japanese Maple tree. If you have the room, plan an organic, free-form grouping of three or five...and run Japanese Painted Fern under all of them in a well-mulched bed. Don't forget the hammock stand and outdoor table to while away many an afternoon in style!

No Zen Garden or Meditation Garden would be complete without this powerful visual element at ground level. Soften the north side of placed boulders with several Japanese Painted Ferns, then add fine gravel mulch and rake regularly in a mindful meditation.

Use these perennial Ferns throughout your shaded areas, or give them as a very thoughtful gift plant to someone you love.

Perennial of the Year
Striking Foliage Makes This A Favorite!
Gray-Green Leaves With Silver Overcast, Purple Stems, Veins & Accents
Include Beautiful Leaves in Cut Arrangements
High Impact, Spreading Groundcover, Landscape Fill, Containers & Specimens

#ProPlantTips for Care:

You might think it would be finicky, but luckily, this Fern is also very durable and low maintenance! This is not the right choice for full-sun locations! Give Japanese Painted Fern full shade, or a bit of morning sun to bring out the colors even more. It loves moist soil and needs well-drained soil. The roots don't like to stay sopping wet.

A consistent schedule of moderate water delivers the best results. However, once the roots are well-established in the landscape, these fantastic workhorses will tolerate short periods of dryness. A 3-4 inch deep layer of wood chip mulch over the root systems to keep them cool and moist. Never allow mulch to rest directly against the burgundy stems...pull it back for proper air circulation.

This plant will grow in a slowly spreading fashion unless planted in rich soil to boost its performance. Add a few handfuls of compost during planting to enrich your soil...and top-dress with compost every other year or so.

This 2004 perennial plant of the year certainly deserves Nature Hills Root Booster during planting. The symbiotic ingredients work non-stop over the life of the plant to support each of the tiny feeder roots in their quest for nutrients and moisture.

Prune in early spring to trim off any winter damage and divide every 3-5 years to keep the clumps growing vigorously. We recommend you plant several, so you can always have a few fronds to include in cunning cut flower arrangements.

Does Well in Full Shade to Partial Shade
Extremely Cold Hardy
Any Rich Organic Well-Drained Soil
Prefers Consistent Moisture
Deer & Rabbits Don't Prefer the Taste
Low Maintenance

Place your order for our expertly grown Japanese Painted Fern today! This beloved perennial is a popular favorite for many...please order enough plants to complete your entire project without delay. Japanese Painted Ferns have earned their place in people's hearts the world over...order yours today at NatureHills.com!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What USDA hardiness zones can Japanese Painted Fern survive in?

Japanese Painted Fern thrives in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8. This cold-hardy perennial can withstand harsh winter conditions while returning reliably each spring. Plant it in your shadiest spots for best performance.

Is Japanese Painted Fern a fast-growing or slow-growing plant?

Japanese Painted Fern is a moderate grower that spreads steadily to form colonies over time. In zones 3-8, expect it to reach its full 2-foot size within 2-3 seasons. Space plants 12 inches apart for quicker ground coverage in shaded areas. Shop at Nature Hills for quality specimens.

Is Japanese Painted Fern deer resistant?

Japanese Painted Fern is generally deer resistant, as deer typically avoid ferns due to their texture and taste. This makes it an excellent choice for shade gardens in zones 3-8 where deer browsing is a concern. Plant them 12 inches apart in your shadiest spots for reliable, deer-proof ground coverage.

Does Japanese Painted Fern need fertilizer and how often should I feed it?

Japanese Painted Fern thrives with minimal feeding, requiring only light fertilization in spring. These hardy perennials in zones 3-8 do well with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer applied once annually when new growth emerges. Feed lightly to maintain their natural vigor without encouraging excessive growth.

Will Japanese Painted Fern spread or stay in a clump?

Japanese Painted Fern spreads gradually to form colonies but isn't aggressive. In zones 3-8, it will slowly expand beyond its initial 2-foot clump through underground rhizomes. For faster coverage, plant multiple ferns 12 inches apart when you shop at Nature Hills.

Japanese Painted Fern

Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'