Pyrrosia lingua 'Kei Kan' Vilmorin filtered shade of tall pines

filtered shade of tall pines

moist but well-drained acidic soil

the plant sets little or no seed and pours the saved energy into a heavier

the dwarf lady fern wants shade or part shade and humus-rich

the display holds cleanly for a long stretch without setting seed

Pyrrosia lingua 'Kei Kan' Vilmorin filtered shade of tall pinesPyrrosia lingua 'Kei Kan' is a fern for people who think they do not like ferns. Nothing here is lacy or feathery. The fronds are thick, leathery, and strap shaped, and in this selection the tips fork and crest into ragged, comb like divisions, the feature that earns the Japanese name Kei Kan, meaning cockscomb. The overall effect is closer to a piece of green leather sculpture than to the soft filigree most people picture when they hear the word