Burgundy Lace Painted Fern
Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Burgundy Lace'
Planting & Care
Planting & Care
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Preorder Shipping Schedule
We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.
| Zone 3-4 | Week of March 30th |
| Zone 5 | Week of March 16th |
| Zone 6-12 | Week of March 2nd |
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.

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 Sentry™ Protected
Your order is protected by our compliance system that:
- Prevents restricted plants from shipping to your state
- Ensures plants meet your state's agricultural requirements
- Protects gardens from invasive pests and diseases
Description
Gorgeous color combination for your shaded gardens! The Burgundy Lace Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Burgundy Lace') is a show-stopping Fern with its contrasting leaves of silvery green and purple midribs on elegant, lacy and frilly fronds!
New growth is ultra finely-toothed and textured and the most intriguing silvery-purple and burgundy! The fronds then mature to a silvery-green with that same vivid purple as a colorful midrib. Elegant and graceful, yet tough and resilient, Burgundy Lace will fill your shaded garden spaces in lush color and texture!
A variety of Japanese Painted Fern, it spreads and forms natural rosettes of arching, lacy fronds that are a prized groundcover. Resplendent in color and form, they add so much grace and finery to your garden's edges, like lace on the edge of a gown! You'll not be surprised that Burgundy Lace was the Perennial Plant Association's 2004 Perennial Plant of the Year!
Planting and Application:
Burgundy Lace makes a wonderful counterpoint to flowering perennials. Any urban or dappled courtyard garden will suit Ferns just fine. Blending into both formal and informal designs beautifully, no shaded rock garden, Asian or Zen-inspired garden would be complete without one of these Ferns!
The high preference for water and wet sites makes Burgundy Lace the obvious choice for Rain Gardens, ponds, streams and water features! Cascading along with your waterfalls and fountains happily! Plant around where shady gutters drain for a woodland glen or plant around your HVAC drainage area to soak up the extra moisture.
A wonderful underplanting for larger shrubs and trees where they will bask in the cool shade that larger plants offer, Painted Fern creeps and mingles under shady limbs and will not interfere with each other's root systems. Plant along the edges of tree-lined borders and along the north/east facing areas of your home's foundation where not much else besides moss will grow. Aptly sized for containers, Painted Fern's gray-green fronds will be the featured spiller and thriller to your shade patio planters!
Burgundy Lace Painted Fern is very striking when planted in large groups and allowed to naturalize freely en masse. A sea of burgundy-purple with silver will be amazing in the dappled shade! Perhaps best known as a shade groundcover, Painted Fern will easily fill an area with its pearlescent colors.
- Silvery-Green Fern with Purple Overcast
- Purple Midrib & Fine Texture!
- Dramatic Clump Forming Plant
- Herbaceous Groundcover Naturalizes Freely
- Easy Care & Low Maintenance - Award-Winning
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Burgundy Lace is a deceivingly hardy Fern, for growing zones 5-8. It grows best in humus-rich ground, high in organic matter. Doing great in well-drained soils that retain moisture but will also adapt to tough conditions. It is tolerant of clay soils, wet and soggy spots with high moisture and humidity. As long as it remains shaded, especially in the hot summers of southern climates, Painted Fern will tolerate a lot, even frigid winters. Part shade locations are tolerable in cooler climates of growing zone 4 and up!
Rather deer resistant Athyrium Burgundy Lace will be safe to plant in the out-of-the-way wooded areas and edges of your property without worry of damage. Divide plants in the early spring before new growth emerges.
- Full Shade to Partial Shade
- Moist Soil & Water Loving Plant - Does Well in Acidic Soil
- Deer & Rabbit Pass It By!
- Tolerant of Cold & Heat - Grows in Wet & Clay Soils
- Pest & Disease Free
Burgundy Lace Painted Japanese Fern is a great addition of lovely color to a shade garden. With its graceful fern-like foliage, this plant will add texture to any shaded landscape! You'll be glad to have this sterling beauty rambling throughout your gardens, so give Nature Hills Nursery a call today!
Specifications
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Growth RateModerate
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring
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Does Not Ship ToAK, HI, ID, MT, PR
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