Athyrium rubripes — Edible Plant Database

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Fronds

Edible Parts: Leaves Edible Uses: Very young fronds (croziers) - boiled. Some caution is advised. See the notes above on toxicity.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a cold temperate plant. It grows at about 800 m above sea level in pine forests in north China and Russia.

Asia, China, Korea, Russia, Siberia,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A small fern reaching 10cm tall. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with a preference for well-drained conditions; can survive in heavy clay and very acidic soils. Grows in full shade (deep woodland) to semi-shade (light woodland) with preference for moist or wet soil. Suitable for mildly acidic, neutral, and basic soils.

How to Grow

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of this country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. An easily grown plant, it is calcifuge and prefers an acid soil with a pH from 4.5 to 6.5, but it tolerates alkaline soils if plenty of leaf mould is added. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist sheltered site with moderately high atmospheric humidity. Succeeds in a semi-shaded bog-garden or in damp woodland, also in garden borders in full or part shade. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation: Spores - surface sow in a pot of sterile compost in a shady part of the greenhouse and keep moist, this is most easily done by putting the pot in a plastic bag. Pot up small clumps of the plants when they are large enough to handle and keep them moist until they are established. Plant out in late spring of the following year. Division in spring as plants come into growth. Larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Wikipedia

A small fern reaching 10cm tall. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with a preference for well-drained conditions; can survive in heavy clay and very acidic soils. Grows in full shade (deep woodland) to semi-shade (light woodland) with preference for moist or wet soil. Suitable for mildly acidic, neutral, and basic soils.