My dryland ferns

In my last post we took a look at the xerophytic fern display at the UC Botanic Garden at Berkeley, today we're touring through my dryland fern collection. These plants are all in the sunny (and dry, unless I'm watering to establish), front garden. Why am I calling them dryland ferns when the UC Botanic Garden at Berkeley calls them xerophytic ferns? Because that's the name I started using after reading this 2023 article from Dr. Patrick McMillan and Plant Delights Nursery. Personally I would much rather call them sunny ferns. That's the big difference in my way of planting them. They don't mind (even prefer) the sun.

Here we're looking at the bit of land I wrote about in the post titled Yes actually, I will be making this a lifetime project. I can't remember if I did a proper "reveal" post after I planted it up, but there are several fantastic dryland ferns in the mix, along with agaves! (a reminder, the planting is sparse by my standards because I'm battling Yucca filamentosa sprouts).

This big beauty was bought as a Cheilanthes tomentosa. I suppose that's another distinction worth making. I'm using the names I bought these plants under, not what they might properly be called now. It's such an evolving science...

I stopped at a nursery way out east of town (Boring Square Garden Center) when I was running an errand and just happened to spot this fern. It's such a healthy specimen I'm glad I grabbed it. It's looked fantastic all summer.

This little cutie is a Cheilanthes lanosa (from Little Prince). There were two but one of them shriveled up and has not yet made a come back.

Cheilanthes argentea, a gift from the Hardy Fern Foundation when they came through with a tour group.

And finally (for this spot), Pellaea mucronata, a plant I brought back from my Bay Area visit at the end of March (purchased at East Bay Wilds)...

When it went in the ground it was down to just a single "frond"... but it's settled in and is growing. I am thrilled.

The new agaves in this area are Agave 'Mateo', I've had great success with them in both the front and back gardens so I took a bit of a deep dive this year thanks again to Little Prince.

Just to the right of the area shown above is this little fellow. I'm sad he's so small, but thankful he's still alive. Asplenium ceterach, a gift from a man named Fred.

OMG! This is what it's all about! A fern and agaves growing together... so so so fabulous! 

The fern hottie is Pleopeltis lepidopteris 'Morro dos Conventos'...

Just inches away, another Asplenium ceterach, this one barely hanging on. I moved it here because I think it's a better spot. Fingers crossed I'm right!

On the other side of the front steps...

More Pleopeltis lepidopteris 'Morro dos Conventos'. This plant, in a container, is the first I grew of the species. Purchased from Plant Delights it was a little expensive and I didn't want to loose it so I put it in a pot where I could protect it.

Then I spotted a plants at Dancing Oaks and decided I needed to experiment with them in the ground. So far so good.

This was my first major dryland fern love, Bommeria hispida from Cistus Nursery. I love this plant so much! It scares me when it goes mostly dormant in the wintertime (it is said to be evergreen), but it comes back strong in the spring.

A few plants in pots while I puzzle out where to put them in the ground (or not)...included are another Cheilanthes argentea (purchased last summer from Windcliff) and a Bommeria hispida (from Far Reaches Farm, also last summer).

I think this is a Polystichum imbricans, although it came to me without a label, and in its second season is growing smaller than I would expect. Still, I quite adore it.

This crazy good Pellaea atropurpurea is another from Little Prince.

"Pellaea atropurpurea is an evergreen, rocky, alkaline growing fern from North America. It features blue-green, leathery, oblong lance-shaped leaflets carried on dark purple or brown stems. Forms clumps of arching fronds."

It's evergreen and hardy to Zone 5... *swoon*

Under the protective "blades" of Dasylirion wheeleri (a little shade and hopefully a rabbit deterrent) is this NoID fern from David (slow__boat), I brought it back from the Bay Area Adventure. It's thought to be a Pleopeltis of some sort.

It wasn't terribly happy with our days in the upper 90's/lower 100's (the fronds curled up), but as it settled in (grew some roots out into the soil) it started to deal with them better. I hope it handles the winter months okay, since it's a NoID I'm a little nervous.

Just to the left of the NoID Pleopeltis is Cheilanthes sieberi, yet another from Little Prince. I planted this one (and others of the same) in early July, not an ideal time! It's been more thirsty than I expected, but I'm blaming the fact I planted it in the summertime. 

Moving south along the sidewalk the next fern in line is my first ever Cheilanthes argentea, that's it in the orange circle.

It's recovering from bunny browsing.

Two more Cheilanthes sieberi are growing under this Dasylirion wheeleri.

"Cheilanthes sieberi, also called Poison Rock Fern or Mulga Fern, is a dwarf Australian and New Zealand native fern known for being more sun tolerant. Features olive green, lanceolate fronds" this one is only Zone 8 hardy so who knows how it will perform in a hard winter?

Another Pellaea atropurpurea out there between the Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard' and Agave 'Baccarat'.

Close-up

I cannot give you definitive ID on this one, as it came to me unlabeled, but it's obviously a Cheilanthes...

Tomentosa? Lanosa? What's the difference? I certainly can't tell.

Can you spot the fern?

Astrolepis sinuata from Blooming Junction.

Such a dreamy addition to the garden! I've previously tried to grow this from 4" pots, but buying a gallon sized plant seems to have made all the difference.

Okay, just two more plants and I've lost track of what they are, other than being more Cheilanthes. Here's the first...

Again, C. tomentosa or lanosa?

And there's the second, in the orange circle...

These two plants get virtually no water during our long dry (dare I say hot?) summer. Just a drink once a month when I get around to pulling out the hose.

They're troopers! I've babied the other ferns this summer, since most of them are newly planted. I'm looking forward to testing their endurance next year.

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