Dryopteris dilitata 'Lepidota Crispa Cristata RHS AGM

Dryopteris dilatata ‘Lepidota Crispa Cristata’ is a fabulously ornate selection of the broad buckler fern, beloved for its highly frilled, crested, and crisply textured fronds. Reaching around 50–70 cm tall, it forms a dense, upright clumpof deep-green, finely divided foliage that looks as though it has been intricately hand-ruffled by an enthusiastic Victorian milliner. Every frond tip ends in a little flourish, giving the whole plant a wonderfully decorative, almost lace-like appearance.

It grows best in partial to full shade, in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and is very hardy. Once established, it’s a low-maintenance fern that brings year-round structure and an irresistible sense of botanical eccentricity to shady borders.

Interesting fact: This fern’s elaborate crests are a classic example of the unusual forms treasured during Pteridomania, the 19th-century fern craze .

Awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. (RHS AGM).