Blechnum brasiliense 'Volcano' (Volcano Fern) – Evergreen Fern (3L Pot)

A bold evergreen fern whose new fronds unfurl bronze-red before maturing to glossy green, held in an upright rosette.

The fronds are broad, ribbed and slightly leathery, and they rise from a short central crown so the plant reads as a low, vase shaped clump rather than a spreading carpet. The red flush on the new growth is the point of it, and it comes again each time the plant pushes a fresh flush. Reaching roughly 90cm tall by 60cm across, it makes a strong shape for a shaded corner, a shady patio or a large pot near a door.

This is the tender kind of Blechnum, not the hardy British hard fern, and it is not reliably hardy outdoors in Britain. Give it a sheltered, shady spot out of wind, keep the compost moist but never waterlogged, and either protect it well over winter or move the pot under cover into a frost free greenhouse, conservatory or porch until spring. Grown that way it holds its fronds all year and needs little beyond tidying off the old ones. Supplied as one established plant in a 3 litre pot.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Volcano fern
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Around 90cm tall by 60cm across
• Growth Habit: Upright, rosette forming clump
• Perfect For: Shaded borders, shady patios, large containers, sheltered courtyards, a frost free conservatory over winter
• Foliage: Bronze-red new fronds ageing to glossy green, evergreen
• Flowering Time: Non-flowering. Ferns are grown for foliage
• Planting Position: Partial to full shade, sheltered, in moist humus-rich soil that drains freely. Happy in a container
• Soil Type: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained
• Hardiness: Not reliably hardy in Britain. Needs frost protection or a move under cover for the winter
• Maintenance: Low. Tidy off old fronds and keep the compost from drying out
• Seasonal Interest: All year, from the evergreen fronds
• Type: Evergreen fern