Think of foxtail fern as a garnish for your Sarasota landscape.

foxtail fern
With foxtail fern, you’ll enjoy a stunning landscape presentation with a tangy kick.

Foxtail fern is one of those delightful filler-in plants that can “garnish” your beds in an instant. Think of a food platter garnished with curly leaf parsley. A few sprigs here and there, and your platter suddenly looks like it’s been prepared by a master chef. Same holds true with foxtail fern. When artfully placed, you’ll enjoy a stunning landscape presentation with interesting texture and a tangy kick.

Foxtail fern
These plume-like foxtail ferns finish out a bed of Ruby Ti plants and variegated shell ginger in Sarasota.

Known also as asparagus fern, foxtail fern is one of ArtisTree’s favorite “go to” plants for its texture, hardiness and color. Stiff upright stems can grow up to two feet, with plume-like foliage that gives it a fluffy appearance. Color can range from a deep green to lighter chartreuse. Partial shade is this fern’s best friend, although it can withstand a bit of bright light. Light freezes have been known to kill it to the ground, but recovery is swift once temperatures rise.

Foxtail fern
Foxtail ferns, also known as asparagus fern, contrast nicely with angular bromeliads.

Use foxtail fern as a finishing plant for a lush, filled-in look.

“I use this plant in all kinds of ways because it’s extremely versatile,” says ArtisTree Landscape Designer Brian Clouser. “It fills in that one- to two-inch gap and finishes off a bed nicely. It also helps to fill the first-layer border in a bed.”

Clouser compares foxtail fern to “something between liriope and flax lily” for similar size and space needs. “I’ve used it as a second layer behind a low ground cover like Blue Daze, Asiatic jasmine or baby sunrose,” he says. “It’s also a good choice if you’re looking for a textural change in pocket-size areas.”

Looking for a low-maintenance fern to surround your lanai? These plump foxtail ferns dress out this pool area perfectly with a light feathery feel.

ArtisTree Landscape Designer Clinton Lak likes foxtail fern’s textural appearance most. “Their fine texture is a good way to create interest, particularly when contrasted with plantings that have a course texture,” notes Lak. “While I’ve often used them as border plants, they also work well within a wide variety of exposures and specs — even confined spaces and pots. You’ll find they make a very nice connector plant by bringing everything together within your landscape beds.”

Foxtail fern
Even just a spot of foxtail fern adds nice textural interest — like these artfully placed specimens fringing an area of stepping stones.

If foxtail fern is a garnish, then what’s your “main dish?”

Well, that’s for you and an ArtisTree designer to decide! To jump-start your renovation process, we encourage you to complete ArtisTree’s landscape design questionnaire and then give us a call at 941.488.8897, ext. 312. We’re eager to hear what you have in mind. By the way, foxtail ferns also beautify our Design Center in Venice, as you can see below.

ArtisTree Landscape

Contact ArtisTree

Contact ArtisTree Landscape Maintenance & Design at 941.488.8897 and let’s get your dream landscape project started. We proudly serve Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties.

ArtisTree also provides complete landscape maintenance services for HOA communities throughout Southwest Florida. Contact Michael Casper at 941.488.8897 for your custom proposal.  

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