Family: Blechnaceae Genus: Doodia Botanical name: Doodia aspera x media Cultivar: 'Rough Ruby' Common name: Rasp Fern Origin: New Zealand Height: 50-70cm
1 litre pot
A fertile hybrid Doodia, with
amazingly rough feel to the fronds
which are a glorious maroon.
It is not often that we coin 'cultivar' names, but this fern cried out for one. It is a fertile hybrid Doodia, one parent of which is pretty certainly Doodia aspera, and this parent would account for the amazingly rough (almost abrasive) feel of the fronds. The other parent may well be Doodia media. But the most striking feature of this fern is the colour of its young fronds, which are a glorious maroon – and it lasts a long time. It is wintergreen, which means it will die right back in very cold weather. Nevertheless, it has done well over many winters in a north Wales garden, and even recovered from the severity of the 2010 winter.
Evergreen.
Propagated especially for Bowdens by our fern consultant Mr Dick Hayward.