Asplenium 'Angustatum' - Hart's Tongue Fern, Pond Edge & Border Plant

Asplenium scolopendrium 'Angustatum' is a narrow-leaved form of the UK native hart's tongue fern, and holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. It forms a compact rosette of narrow, glossy, bright green, strap-shaped fronds with ruffled edges that stay green all year.

'Angustatum' at a glance

Botanical name	Asplenium scolopendrium 'Angustatum' (syn. Phyllitis scolopendrium)
Common name	Hart's tongue fern
Plant type	Evergreen fern; does not flower
Height and spread	Up to about 45 cm tall, 10–50 cm wide
Flowers	None – a fern; spores form under the fronds
Position	Part shade or shade
Soil	Moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil with added grit; neutral to alkaline
Pond depth	None – not for wet or waterlogged ground
Hardiness	RHS H6 – hardy in a very cold winter (-20 to -15°C)
Native to	Garden form of the UK native hart's tongue fern

Is hart's tongue fern a bog plant?

No. It is a shade fern for moist but well-drained soil, not a bog or water plant, and the RHS recommends adding grit. It suits a shady, moist spot near a pond, but keep it well above the water line and out of waterlogged ground.

Where to plant it

Shady borders and woodland gardens
Shady banks and walls, where it grows in the wild
A shady pond surround, well above the water line

How to care for it

It is generally pest-free outdoors, though a rust fungus may affect it in mild, damp winters.

Which size should I buy?

Bare-root plants (7 cm, 9 cm, 1 litre and 3 litre) arrive without a pot or compost and are the most economical way to plant a group. Potted plants (9 cm, 1 litre and 3 litre) arrive growing in our peat-free compost and give a faster display. Packs of 3 come in 7 cm, 9 cm, 1 litre and 3 litre bare-root sizes and cost less per plant. The 2x Pot & Compost option is two plants supplied with pots and compost.