{"title":"Pellaea","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e is a genus of around 40-50 species of primarily dryland sun ferns, commonly known as the cliff brakes. You may be wondering: why we say 40-50 species rather than an exact number? The reason is that fern taxonomy is a mess and some things that look alike may not actually be related and it appears that several things we have called \u003cem\u003ePellaea \u003c\/em\u003ein the past may not be \u003cem\u003ePellaea \u003c\/em\u003ein the future. Oh, those taxonomists! The common name is quite appropriate as \u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e typically grow on rocky outcroppings in canyons, on slopes, and on bluffs. As currently understood the species are native from coast to coast nearly everywhere there are rocks in the United States and from Canada to the Andes in South America; they are also present in Africa, eastern Australia, and New Zealand. Most members of the genus \u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e are small and thus perfect for \u003ca title=\"See more rock garden plants\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/rock-garden-plants\"\u003erock gardens\u003c\/a\u003e though some are quite tricky to establish. The plant known as Green Cliff Brake is very easy to grow but most other members will require special care and sighting within your rock garden. They like to be planted with their rhizome tucked right under a rock and provided with excellent drainage. They do not like to dry out when establishing but will tolerate prolonged dry periods once they get their rhizomes going.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003ePellaea Fern Varieties\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pellaea atropurpurea\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/products\/pellaea-atropurpurea\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eatropurpurea\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (Purple Cliff Brake)\u003c\/strong\u003e This fern grows in full sun and is native to all but 8 states of the continental U.S. It is almost always found growing in fissures in limestone outcrops but also occasionally on amphibolite or marble. Because of its preferred habitat this quirky little fern prefers rocky alkaline soils, where it is tolerant of everything except being too wet and too crowded. The black-green upright leaves form a delightful small 10\" tall clump (rarely taller)—perfect for the rock garden. If you establish a plant, it often will spread via spores to other spots within the garden or even on masonry. Thousands which have done so can be seen at the Biltmore Estate and Gardens in Asheville. (Zones 5-8)\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ecalomelanos\u003c\/em\u003e (Dwarf Blue Table Fern)\u003c\/strong\u003e This cute little African fern makes a delightful small clump to 8\" tall by 8\" wide, composed of black stipes holding powder blue angular pinnae. In the wild, we found these growing on bright sunny rocky slopes. We have found this to be a superb rock garden fern where it is winter hardy. (Zones 8-10)\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eovata\u003c\/em\u003e (Zig-zag Cliff Brake)\u003c\/strong\u003e This splendidly unusual desert sun fern has proven to be quite easy to grow in our garden. This darling deciduous fern has a zig-zag rachis to 15\" tall, adorned with thumb-shaped, blue-grey leaves that point downward. Preferring dry, rocky sites in the wild, this fern grows in both alkaline and acid soils. While Zig-Zag Cliff Brake isn't difficult to grow, it is not for beginners either. (Zones 7b-9 at least)\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca title=\"Pellaea viridis\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/products\/pellaea-viridis\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eviridis\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e (Green Cliff Brake)\u003c\/strong\u003e This is a fern with an identity crisis. Some taxonomists claim this as \u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eviridis\u003c\/em\u003e, but others have judged it to be \u003cem\u003eCheilanthes\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eviridis \u003c\/em\u003eand now it appears it isn’t closely related to either genus and will likely end up in a new genus! Regardless, it is one of many little-known dryland ferns from South Africa that have yet to be properly explored for garden use. Green Cliff Brake is found up to 6,000' elevation throughout the few remaining woodlands in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. So far, in our garden, it has made an easy-to-grow 20\" tall clump of stiff, upright, rich green, bold-textured, deciduous foliage. This is a cliff brake for beginners as it seems to tolerate most anything you throw at it. (Zones 7b-9 at least)\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ewrightiana\u003c\/em\u003e (Wright’s Cliff Brake)\u003c\/strong\u003e This unique dryland fern has been a real star in our rock garden. The 6\" stiffly upright fronds are adorned with rigid, glaucous blue-green leaves. \u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ewrightiana\u003c\/em\u003e prefers well-drained neutral-to-alkaline soils with only occasional moisture once established. In the wild, \u003cem\u003ePellaea\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ewrightiana\u003c\/em\u003e are almost always found at the base of a large rock, where moisture can be found during times of extreme drought. Though it is common in the American Southwest it has also found its way to isolated locations on steep, south-facing slopes in North and South Carolina (Zones 6-8)\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePlant Delights Nursery has a huge collection of over 1,000 ferns planted in our gardens. We also have one of the largest and most esoteric selections of ferns for sale in the US. If you are looking to buy ferns, especially a rare, cold hardy, garden fern, Plant Delights should be your first stop. Providing beauty and texture to the garden, ferns are great garden plants and a staple of any well-designed garden. When you are ready to buy pellaea for your garden, check out our online offering of pellaea for sale.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"pellaea-viridis-mclear","title":"Pellaea viridis McLear","description":"\u003cp\u003e(aka: Cheilanthes viridis) This 2006 Plant Delights\/JLBG introduction comes from our spore collection from \u003ca title=\"Read about Tony's South Africa expedition, opens in a new window\" href=\"http:\/\/www.jlbg.org\/content\/learn\/expeditions\/2005_southafrica\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSouth Africa's Eastern Cape\u003c\/a\u003e near the town of McLear at 4,200' elevation. Most of the forms of Pellaea viridis that we saw in 2005 only reached 1' tall, but this form topped out at 2' tall. We are uncertain if this was due to growing conditions or genetics. The thick, dark green pinnae adorn the black stipe on this semi-evergreen, clumping fern. Although Pellaea viridis is typically grown as a containerized house plant, we've grown this selection outdoors for over a decade including through some single digit F winters.\u003c\/p\u003e ","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":21027593733,"sku":"6728","price":18.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Pellaea-viridis-McLear.i-6728.s-68506.r-1_81e6f9df-91ae-48d8-a0f9-45759019ee5b.jpg?v=1791487404"},{"product_id":"pellaea-ovata-dripping-springs","title":"Pellaea ovata Dripping Springs","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis 2026 Plant Delights\/JLBG introduction is spore grown from our original 2019 division of a clump in Dripping Springs (Hays County), Texas. The amazing zig-zag fern forms an evergreen clump to 1' tall x 18\" wide. Each wiry zig-zag rachis holds the thick, glaucous green fronds. In the garden, it thrives in a part-sun alkaline rocky site, but also makes a superb container specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e ","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42450455068759,"sku":"17039","price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Pellaea-ovata-Dripping-Springs.i-17039.s-68337.r-1_9e0c7adb-fb64-4eb5-b153-303c16cc3a7f.jpg?v=1791988710"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/collections\/pellaea-category-banner_30f615de-fbbc-4b93-b534-ae5a888935de.jpg?v=1673366404","url":"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/pellaea-sun-ferns-cliff-brake.oembed","provider":"Plant Delights Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}