We stock over 500 ferns  at Silk Tree Nurseries, of many species and can supply ferns in quantity for large garden projects.  We supply ground ferns in small sizes (9cm pots) up to 20litre  specimens, and we also stock the magnificent tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica.


  SHADE PLANTS
GUNNERA MANICATA  -   Giant  Elephants Foot Plant

Gunnera , sometimes  known as the Elephants Foot Plant, is a true monster for the garden - it makes a spectacular backdrop to a fernery garden design, and, of course, comes into its own as a Jungle Garden plant. Originating from Brazil, it is in fact very hardy, easy to look after, and all it requires is a nice shady area that is very moist (or well watered). They thrive next to ponds, or in moist fernerys, but can also be used as shady patio container plants if kept in a tray of water. The dramatic foliage can reach up to 2metres across (that's the size of each leaf!), with flower spikes up to 4m high. In Winter, it dies right back to the crown, then starts all over again in  Spring, becoming bigger each year.

10litre pot  (supplied as root in winter)   £24.99  (B)   

20litre pot  (supplied as root in winter)   £49.99  (C) 


LIGULARIS 'THE ROCKET'
A spectacular specimen plant for the back border, large container, or around the edge of a pond. These really are magnificent plants - the foliage is large and bold and in mid to late summer these plants throw up a barrage of flower spikes that ignite from the bottom upwards, into a beautiful golden display up to 4.5ft tall! It will die back completely to the roots in winter, but will always come back the next year, bigger, bolder, and more magnificent!

Ligularis make an unusual and bold companion to ferns and tree ferns, as these plants thrive in moist shade. They are one of the few tall flowering perennials that likes full or half shade, an will add that splash of colour to the fern garden in August.

10ltr  pot (supplied as root in Winter) £29.99 (C)   (2 in stock)


LIGULARIS SIBERICA

Ligularis siberica is a spectacular foliage plant with large, green, spade-like leaves, bearing yellow daisy like flowers in summer on tall 3-5ft stems. This is a superb variety for shade borders. Ligularis make an unusual and bold companion to ferns and tree ferns, as these plants thrive in moist shade.

5ltr  pot (supplied as root in Winter) £14.99 (A)  


 

RHEUM  PALMATUM -  Giant Himalayan Rhubarb

Rhuem palmatum is a  GIANT ornamental rhubarb from China / Tibet which is fully hardy in the UK. This fabulous plant has bright red undersides to the leaf, dark green above, and these large specimens will flower next year .

The flower spike of these plants is truly magnificent - up to 8-9ft tall, in Spring, these large specimens are of FLOWERING SIZE. The flower spike is deep pink and lasts for about 2 weeks and will amaze everybody who sees them.

20litre pot  £49.99 (B)  (supplied as root in autumn/winter)  


  TREE FERNS

DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA TREE FERN

The fabulous hardy tree fern is the only plant to give you that instant jungle feel to the garden. A most extraordinary plant from an ancient, pre-historic era. Dicksonia's roots are within the trunk, although there is sometimes a small root structure at the base. This trunk should be kept moist, and you can never overwater it. In spring a volcano like eruption of green fronds will unfold very quickly to form a canopy. The size of the fronds are dependant on water, position, height, and width of trunk. We advise planting in semi-shade or shade, but we do grow these ferns in full sun - but keep watered so the trunk does not dry out.

How to grow

Water into the top of the trunk and spray the trunk all around in hot weather. Plant in half shade, although will withstand full sun (will need more water). No feeding is required, just water. In winter, wrap the trunk with garden fleece, placing some in the crown - all the fronds will usually turn brown and die in hard frosts but new fronds will appear in early spring. Our true Tasmanian Dicksonia antartica will withstand at least -12C when protected with fleece. Tree ferns planted in the garden become more adapted to our climate over the years - they can keep their fronds right through winter.

10L pot (no trunk)  Dicksonia (shipped in pot), approx. 2ft inc. pot and fronds, approx. 2ft spread -   £39.99 (B)

20L pot (no trunk)  UK GROWN - fully rooted Dicksonia (shipped in pot), approx. 3ft-3.5ft inc. pot and fronds, approx. 30inch-3ft spread of fronds -  £69.99 (D) (1 in stock)

18inch trunk  Dicksonia, 7-8inch diameter, no fronds shipped as bare trunk £115.00 (C) (1 in stock)

27inch trunk  Dicksonia, 10inch diameter,  (shipped WITH fronds)  £189.99 (F) (1 in stock)


 
FERNS
2litre size FERN COLLECTION - 4 ferns

From our large collection of ferns at the nursery, we will select 4  of the best DECIDUOUS and EVERGREEN ferns for this 2litre pot size collection. Fully hardy - cut back fronds in early Spring.

FOUR   2ltr  ferns £24.00 (B)   (6 in stock)


10litre size FERN - MIX

From our large collection of ferns at the nursery, we will select a DECIDUOUS or EVERGREEN fern in the 10litre pot size . Fully hardy - cut back fronds in early Spring. Evergreen ferns will also be cut back in winter and early Spring. May be supplied without fronds in winter or early Spring as we will cut back in Jan/Feb.

10ltr  fern £24.99 (A)    


Arachnoides aristata variegata - Indian Holly Fern

A very beautiful evergreen fern with grass-green fronds which have highlights of gold, very distinctive when planted in groups. Approz. 60cm spread and height when mature.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Asplenium scolopendrium / angustifolia - Harts Tounge  Fern

The very distinctive and exotic Harts Tounge Fern has large sword like leaves light green in colour which can shoot up to 2ft in height in a good moist position - however, these ferns can also grow in extreme drought, clinging to the side of vertical walls, and making homes in mortar. This is a native fern to Britain, and does very well in any shady, moist ground. 

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Asplenium tricomanes

A beautiful small fern which tolerates dry conditions.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Athryium pictum nipponicum (Japanese Painted Fern)

The Japanese Painted Fern, Athryrium nipponicum pictum, is simply one of the most desirable of all fern species  with incredibly delicate fronds of silver, blue, white, and red. They are deciduous ferns, losing their fronds in late autumn, but in the Spring, will emerge again twisting out extraordinary fronds of red and purple, which then unfurl to silver and grey. This is a smaller fern, growing usually only to 1ft-2ft and they make ideal front shade border specimens. These ferns like deep shade and will not do well in sun.

2litre fern £6.99 (A) 


Blechnum spicant - Deer Fern

A very distinctive fern with dark green fronds, that are evergreen, forming a ladder like shape on each frond.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Crytomium fortunei - Japanese Holly Fern

A bold, unusual fern with distinct segmented fronds resembling holly. Growing to 2ft, ideal in a medium border position, but also happy in a container on a shady patio.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Dryopteris affinis / affinis cristata

A larger growing fern to 4ft, with a 3ft spread, classed as semi-evergreen.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  

10litre fern £24.99 (B)

 


Dryopteris atrata (cycadina) - Japanese Wood Fern

A distinctive tall frond fern with dark black  scales  covering the stalks which contrast with the leathery, dark green colour of the fronds. Strong growing.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  

10litre fern £29.99 (B)


Dryopteris affinis Pinderi - Golden Scale Fern

A lovely semi-evergreen fern growing eventually to 90cm.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  

20ltr  fern £49.99 (C)  


Dryopteris cristata The King - King Fern

A large growing (3-4ft) fern with distinctive crested fronds, very hardy, and able to withstand dryer sites.

10litre fern (cut back in early Spring)  £29.99 (B)

20ltr  fern £49.99 (C)  


Dryopteris ethyrosa / ethyrosa Brilliance

The Japanese Autumn Fern is native to China and Japan, and is also known as the Blood Red Fern for it's beautiful pink, copper, or red young fronds at the beginning of the season, which make a wonderful contrast to the greens of the other hardy ferns.  This is an EVERGREEN fern, with fronds turning bronze as they mature, and then colouring yellow over winter.

2litre fern £5.99 (A)

10litre fern £29.99 (B) 


Dryopteris filix mas

A deciduous tall growing, native fern.

10ltr  fern £24.99 (B)  


Dryopteris linearis polydacta - Skeleton Fern

The unusual Skeleton Fern has wispy, skeletal like fronds which are semi-evergreen to deciduous depending on the winter and location. Growing to 3-4ft this is an ideal back border fern. 

2litre fern £5.99 (A)  


Dryopteris lepidota cristata - Wood Fern

A medium sized, semi-evergreen fern with dark green fronds.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Dryopteris wallichiana - HIMALAYAN BLACK STEM FERN

The Himalayan Black Stem Ferns, Dryopteris wallichiana, are spectacular fern species for the mid fernery with large black haired  fronds up to 4ft in height, and this fern can form a small trunk after a few years in the ground.. Beautiful light green fronds turn to deep green as the season progresses and contrast well with the black, hairy stems.

10litre fern £29.99 (B)


Mattecuia - OSTRICH / SHUTTLECOCK FERN

The elegant and stately Ostrich or Shuttlecock fern is one of our  favourite ferns, and makes an ideal fern for mid-border or back border o0 a shaded moist bed or fernery. This fern makes a unique 'shuttlecock' shape of fronds, the fronds standing very much more upright than other fern species. The Ostrich fern spreads by underground rhizomes, so you will have these very architectural ferns coming up with 1 or 2ft between each as they slowly spread. These ferns can grow up to 3ft high with 4ft long fronds when established.

5litre fern (supplied as root in Winter) £24.99 (B) (3 in stock)

10litre fern (supplied as root in Winter) £35.00 (B) 


Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern)

A beautiful distinctive fern with large arching fronds coming from a central mound or trunk.

10litre fern £24.99 (B)


Polypodium vulgare

An unusual, 'fat' frond, lobed, light green in Spring on this strong growing clumping fern.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Polysticum aculeatum - Hard Shield Fern

An evergreen with glossy green stiff foliage, larger growing.

10ltr  fern  £24.99 (B)  


Polysticum braunii

A distinctive, dense dark green evergreen fern.

2ltr  fern  £5.99 (A)  


Polystichum Herranhausen -

A beautiful evergreen fern with fine feathery fronds which looks more suited to indoors than outdoors, but is fully hardy in the UK. A strong growing fern to 3ft-4ft.

10litre size fern  £24.99 (B)


Polystichum makinoi - Japanese Holly Fern

A clumping, strong growing fern producing neat whorls of evergreen fronds.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  


Polystichum polyblepharum - Japanese Tassel Fern

A strong growing, large fern with bold, 2-3ft fronds when mature.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  

10litre fern £29.99 (B)


Polystichum setiferum / setiferum proliferum - Soft Shield Fern

A beautiful large growing fern, ideal as a statement fern, in a large pot, or in a jungle style border or garden.

10ltr  fern £29.99 (B)  


Polystichum tsus-simense - Korean Rock Fern

A dwarf variety, growing to no more than 30-40cm, with lovely silver underside to the fronds.

2ltr  fern £5.99 (A)  





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