Cheilanthes lanosa: Hairy Lipfern

Cheilanthes lanosa, the Hairy Lipfern, is a small, compact, evergreen fern native to eastern North America. It forms a tight clump of bipinnate fronds with small, oval, hairy pinnules on both surfaces (hence "lanosa" = woolly/hairy). The undersides have a sparse coating of white farina. The stipe and rachis are dark, wiry, and hairy. It grows on dry, rocky, often acidic outcrops.

Plant Profile

Hairy Lipfern is a xeric fern for dry, rocky, acidic habitats. It requires full sun to part shade, excellent drainage, and gritty soil. Water sparingly. It is a great native choice for rock gardens, crevices, and troughs in eastern and central US gardens. The hairy texture is unique among lipferns. A tough, small-scale plant for the rock garden.