Athyrium 'Godzilla' is an enormous hybrid Japanese painted fern prized for its silvery fronds brushed with green and purple. With a commanding arching form that can reach over 3 feet wide it brings dramatic texture and color to shaded areas. This cultivar is sterile, clump forming, and spreads slowly making it easy to manage in woodland borders or underplantings.
Height & Spread: 30 - 36 in x 36 - 48 in
Bloom Time: Non flowering fern
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist, rich soil with good organic content
Watering Needs: Moderate; keep evenly moist during hot weather
Deer Resistance: Rarely browsed by deer due to coarse texture and taste
Native Status
This fern is a hybrid cultivar derived from Athyrium niponicum var. pictum and other related species. It is not native to North America but performs well in woodland settings typical of native shade perennials.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Birds
- The dense arching fronds provide excellent cover for ground nesting birds like sparrows and towhees.
Beneficial Insects
- Fronds shelter predatory beetles and over wintering beneficial insects such as lacewings and parasitic wasps.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space plants 30 - 36 in apart to allow full arching habit to develop without crowding.
Landscape Placement:
- Ideal as a bold specimen in shaded gardens, massed along woodland edges, or as a striking underplanting for trees and shrubs.
Companion Plants
- Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' - The white margined foliage of Solomon’s Seal complements the dramatic silver of 'Godzilla'.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - Offers matching silvery tones and spring blue flowers for layered texture and color.
- Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower) - Adds frothy spring blooms and ground covering foliage beneath the tall fern canopy.
- Hosta 'Sum and Substance' - Large chartreuse leaves contrast the fine fronds of the fern while sharing similar shade requirements.
- Heuchera 'Obsidian' - Deep purple foliage highlights the silver green fronds and offers year round interest.