Garden Notes

My sister's cinnamen fern garden under a mature fir tree

In the home landscape, it is very common to find small fir trees. They are attractive, easy to care for and provide winter interest in the yard. However as these trees mature, the lower branches can lose a lot of their needles and become bare and unsightly. The obvious solution is to plant something underneath to fill in that space.

Unfortunately it is very difficult to grow anything under these trees. The soil is usually dry and somewhat acidic from all the dropped needles. Very little light penetrates and most plants simply will not thrive.

One notable exception is the cinnamon fern. The plants spread slowly and make clumps of gracefully waving fronds. They like slightly acid soil and can be grown in any lighting conditions as long a their moisture requirements are met. To help them get started, try using mulch to keep the soil cool and retain moisture. Also cutting off the scraggly lower tree limbs helps open up the space to let in a bit more light. You may have to water during dry spells at first, but once they are established cinnamon ferns become a lush almost primordial green understory for your tree that pretty much takes care of itself.

Cinnamon ferns can provide a great backdrop for hosta, ligularia and shade annuals such as impatiens or begonias. They are a great solution for the awkward, bare spaces under mature fir trees and since this solution can open up the previously enclosed area to view, the yard often appears larger.

First photo shows fir tree with dead limbs — second shows start of fern garden with hosta