Midstorey

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Prickly rasp fern Doodia aspera

Previously known as Blechnum neohollandicum

When it flowers

Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) cultivated near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 28 March 2009.
Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) cultivated near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 28 March 2009.. Photo: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frond of Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) cultivated near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 28 March 2009.
Frond of Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) cultivated near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 28 March 2009.. Photo: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Spores of Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) cultivated near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 28 March 2009.
Spores of Prickly Rasp Fern (Doodia aspera) cultivated near Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Photographed on 28 March 2009.. Photo: Arthur Chapman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Tough small fern with harsh-textured fronds that open bright red-pink.

A hardy ground fern that spreads slowly into a clump. New fronds open in shades of red and pink before turning dark green, and feel rough to the touch. Copes with more sun and dryness than most ferns.

In the garden

  • Pots and containers
  • Rockery
  • Mass planting
  • Under trees
Flowers
Inconspicuous
Attracts
Shelter for small wildlife
Leaves
Upright, rough-textured fronds; red to pink new growth.

Growing conditions

Climate
Subtropical and temperate
Light
Part shade to full shade
Soil
Sandy, loam and clay
Drainage
Needs good drainage
Frost
Moderate frost
Water
Some dry spells
Coast
Sheltered coastal gardens

Planting and care

Grown from
Division

Planting

Part shade or morning sun. Space 40 cm apart for a mass planting.

Pruning

Cut off old brown fronds at the base.

Care

Keep the soil moist, especially in summer. Mulch with leaf litter; a weak liquid feed in spring helps.

Where it comes from

Family
Blechnaceae
Order
Polypodiales
Native to
New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria
Natural range
Forests and rocky slopes of eastern Queensland, NSW and eastern Victoria.

Where to buy

Specialist native nurseries.

We don't have stockists listed for this plant yet. Local native nurseries are often the best place to ask.

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