Blechnum penna-marina alpina Cristata

A reliable, hardy evergreen, similar to B. spicant but much smaller which is rhizomatous and will spread indefinitely but is not invasive. It produces sterile fronds which may reach up to 10 cms long or so and these tend to lay more or less horizontal. The colour is deep green when mature but bronzy coloured when young and remains untouched by harsh winter conditions. The fertile fronds are very attractive, they are held very much vertical and are bronzy brown at first but later turn black in colour with the spores on the reverse side.

  Obviously this is the cristate form having crests at the frond tips.