This library and any plant lists generated from it reflect plants we’ve carried or could obtain over the past 12–18 months, not our current inventory or availability.

“Fire Wise” plants are not fireproof. These plants, when maintained properly, have a higher fire resistance reducing fire danger. This list is built on the recommendations of local governments and the Diablo Firesafe Council

Plant Library
fern

Brilliance Autumn Fern

Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance'

Add To My Wish List

print page
 
Brilliance Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance') at East Bay Nursery

Brilliance Autumn Fern foliage

Brilliance Autumn Fern foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Brilliance Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance') at East Bay Nursery

Brilliance Autumn Fern in fall

Brilliance Autumn Fern in fall

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  18 inches

Spread:  18 inches

Sunlight:  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  4b

Other Names:  Japanese Red Shield Fern

Description:

Lovely deep green fronds; fiddleheads and fronds emerge copper colored; great woodland and shade garden plant; keep evenly moist

Ornamental Features

Brilliance Autumn Fern is primarily valued in the garden for its cascading habit of growth. Its attractive glossy ferny compound leaves emerge coral-pink in spring, turning forest green in color with prominent coppery-bronze tips the rest of the year.

Landscape Attributes

Brilliance Autumn Fern is a dense herbaceous evergreen fern with a shapely form and gracefully arching fronds. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Brilliance Autumn Fern is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Groundcover
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Brilliance Autumn Fern will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

 
 
Hardiness Zone  Plant Height  Minimum Sunlight  Soil pH Preference 
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Edging  Garden  Groundcover  Naturalizing 
Applications
Foliage Color  Texture  Plant Form  Deer Resistant 
Features & Attributes

Plant lists (elsewhere on our site):

Popular searches:

Searching:

In keyword searches, precede the keyword with a “+” to only include plants and a “-” to exclude any plants that contain that keyword.

Enclose any phrase in quotation marks ““ to search for the phrase and not the individual words.

• Use “Quick Search” with “Search By Plant Names” to find plants that meet your criteria
• Use “Category links” to quickly find a grouping of plants
• Use “Advanced Search” to narrow the results within each category
• Use the “Hot Button” check box to prioritize a search attribute

My Wish List:

• Use the “Wish List” check box to save plants of interest for future reference
• Print out your list and bring it to the nursery as a shopping list

Remember, we may not currently have all the plants you choose in stock.