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Blechnum tabulare

Table mountain fern

Botanical name: Blechnum tabulare
Common name: Table mountain fern
Family: Blechnaceae
Plant Type: Perennial, Deciduous

Foliage colour:

Green

Key features:
Dramatic foliage

Blechnum tabulare is an evergreen fern with large fronds that can reach up to 1m in length, when mature. While not a true tree fern, it will eventually develop a trunk. What’s more, new ferns will grow around the base of the original plant, developing into a colony. It’s perfect for a woodland border or a stumpery, where it’s perfect for providing a tropical look in a shady situation.

Grow Blechnum tabulare in moist but well-drained soil in partial to full shade and mulch annually with leaf mould. It’s not fully hardy but can withstand temperatures down to -5° for short periods of time. If the main trunk does appear to die over winter then don’t remove it – usually a new fern will grow out from the old trunk.

How to grow Blechnum tabulare

Plant size

100cm height

1.2m spread
Aspect

North facing, east facing, west facing
Position in border

Middle

Sun exposure: Full shade, partial shade
Hardiness: Frost hardy
Soil type: Clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy

Plant calendar

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Plant
Plant	Do not Plant in January	Do not Plant in February	Do not Plant in March	Do not Plant in April	Do Plant in May	Do Plant in June	Do Plant in July	Do Plant in August	Do Plant in September	Do not Plant in October	Do not Plant in November	Do not Plant in December