This evergreen terrestrial fern has a short creeping rhizome with ascending spreading foliage and forms a clump. It has glossy dark green lanced-shaped leathery fronds with wavy margins and the fertile fronds produced spores on the underside in spring.

Hardiness zones 6 to 9

Asplenium scolopendriumis naturally found from central to southern Europe, including Britain to western Asia and North America growing along moist creek embankments and amongst rocks or in rock crevices in damp shady woodlands from sea level to an altitude of 2,500 m (8202 ft).

It prefers a semi-shaded to shaded wind protected position and grows in well-drained organic moist lime rich soil that is neutral tending alkaline with a pH range of 6.1 to 8.5. It is a frost tolerant but drought tender and deer and rabbit resistant.

The Hart's-tongue Fern is grown for its attractive foliage and spreading habit. It is planted in parks and gardens along shaded moist borders in the understory of shrubs or trees or used around water features. It is also grown in rock crevices in retaining walls or used in shaded gully paintings.

It is suitable for coastal and a low mountain regions and establishes in 3-5 years and is long-lived. This fern is also grown as a specimen in a shade houses or alpine garden and is ideal for soils that are limestone-based. It has massed planted on moist shaded embankments as ground cover or used in a woodland setting. Many of the cultivars are grown as a potted house plants for their attractive foliage. ID 3200

Asplenium(a-SPLAY-nee-um ) scolopendrium(skol-oh-PEND-ree-um)

Asplenium: scolopendrium: Latin for centipede, describing the arrangement of sori on the back of the fertile fronds.

Note:
Asplenium scolopendriumvar. americanum
This variation from North America is tetraploid where as the European form is diploid.

Dryopteridaceae(DRY-op-TER-ee-DAY-see-ee)