Northern maidenhair fern
Adiantum pedatum
A native fern with one of the most distinctive frond architectures in the plant kingdom: delicate emerald-green fronds borne on black wiry stems arranged in a horizontal pinwheel (palmate) pattern. Mature plants form layered tiers of pinwheels. Deciduous but utterly charming through the growing season. Excellent for damp shade — moist rich woodland soils are the ideal habitat.
Native: 35 US states + 4 CA provinces
Climate fit: broad (83/100)
Filler
Focal point
Light
Part shade
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
12-24" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
3a-8b
brutally cold to frosty winters
AHS heat range
1-11
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
Yes
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Native across 39 US states and Canadian provinces — a wide-ranging part of North America's plant communities.
Cold hardiness
Future
These values are location-based: this location's current hardiness is the baseline, and the 2050 value is a projected future climate for this same location.
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Published baseline for this location from 1991-2020.
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7a
Plotwright
Projected zone for this same location in 2050 (2041-2070) using SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry).
Well-suited
In plain terms: This location is in Zone 6b today. Its hardiness profile is cold winters, and coldest nights are typically around -3°F. By 2050, the projected hardiness zone is Zone 7a based on SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry). That is a +0.5-zone shift from Zone 6b to Zone 7a by 2050.
✓
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...
Where this plant fits
Suitable across 40 ecoregions — 35 climate-resilient through 2070 · 5 suited today. Best matches first.
Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
›
Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
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Arizona Mountains forests
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Blue Mountains forests
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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands
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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests
›
Central Tallgrass prairie
›
Central-Southern Cascades Forests
›
Colorado Rockies forests
›
Cross-Timbers savanna-woodland
›
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/adiantum-pedatum
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes