Our collection of this large species from Fanjinshan in China where we saw it growing in the open with mixed scrub. This was a leafless 10' rounded open shrub with seed capsules at the ends of the branches.   Expect white flowers tinged pink aging to red or some variation thereof and being fairly profuse in May.

Crazy fern that takes away the need to fuss with growing this from spore as it makes a multitudinous panoply of ready-to-go plantlets on the leaves that will soon have you owning the corner in your 'hood dealing in fern babies.  Remember, if it's a kid, the first one is free.  Warmer gardens or indoors, mulch protect in zone 8 winters.

Sporelings of the Mexican Chain Fern originally introduced from the mountains near Oaxaca.  A rarely seen beautiful species surviving many years in a Seattle garden.  The same garden has a glorious container of this which overwinters frost-free in the sunroom where it not only survives but thrives.  Thanks to Jeanette Kunnen for sharing.

We have just a handful of this choice form of the species in which the pinnae are distinctly undulated adding yet another layer of tasteful complexity to a species already awash in attributes.  It really isn't fair to be born with gorgeous 6'-7' fronds but do you have to flaunt undulation too?  Well, yes.

Our collection from near the 100 Li Rhododendron Area in Guizhou Province in China.  This is a fantastic fern and quietly imposing in the garden lending some tropicalissimo punch.  Long lowrider fronds lean low over the ground and can exceed 6' long.  Usually evergreen, mulch well in zone 7 or arctic blasts,  Likes it moist.

Our China collection of this most remarkable species.  Favoring rich, moist areas which is required to pump up the nearly 6' in length frond volume.  These fronds extend out laxly horizontally which assists in their asexual reproduction from plantlets developing from the little furry balls - careful! - at frond's end.

It is not enough to just collect the Wulfenia species but one must have the hybrid as well. And this natural progression of the collector disorder is a very good thing indeed as this is both intriguing and lovely. In part to light shade, this will tweak expectations of spring bloom with 10'' spikes of blue flowers that carry the graceful effect of a Penstemon gone astray in the best possible way in the woodland.