Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Lemon Button Fern, Fishbone Fern

Description:

Smallest of the Boston ferns; attractive, tiny golden-green leaflets on compact, dark green arching stems; an impressive groundcover for a woodland area; great in hanging baskets or containers, for indoors or out

Ornamental Features

Lemon Buttons Fern's attractive glossy ferny pinnately compound leaves emerge yellow in spring, turning green in color the rest of the year on a plant with an arching habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Lemon Buttons Fern is a dense herbaceous annual with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering

Lemon Buttons Fern is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Lemon Buttons Fern will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant performs well in both full sun and full shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Lemon Buttons Fern is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a canvas of foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.