Dryopteris filix-mas 'Crispa Cristata' RHS AGM 1 litre

Dryopteris filix-mas ‘Crispa Cristata’, a delightful twist on the classic male fern, is prized for its crisped, crested frond tips that look as though someone has given them a gentle pinch for added flourish. It typically reaches 60–90 cm tall, forming a handsome, upright clump of fresh green, finely textured fronds that stay neat and architectural throughout the season.

It thrives in partial to full shade, preferring moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and is exceptionally hardy and low-maintenance — the sort of fern that quietly gets on with looking splendid without demanding much in return.

Interesting fact: Victorian fern collectors adored these crested forms and gave them wonderfully dramatic names; ‘Crispa Cristata’ would have been considered the height of leafy sophistication during the great fern mania of the 1800s.

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