Cheilanthes lanosa
hairy lip fern
Overview
Cheilanthes lanosa is a small, drought-adapted fern forming tufted clumps 6-16 inches (15-40 cm) tall and 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) wide. Fronds are lance-shaped in outline and bipinnate to tripinnate, divided into many small segments. The stalks and undersides of the fronds are covered in rust-brown, jointed hairs, giving the foliage a woolly texture and grayish-green color. The wiry, dark stalks are brittle and persist through winter in milder zones. In drought the fronds curl inward and appear dead, then unfurl and resume growth after rainfall. New fronds emerge through spring and summer. The fern grows from a short, branching rhizome clad in narrow scales and colonizes thin soil in rock crevices and on outcrops where competition from larger plants is low. Spores ripen in sori positioned along the recurved frond margins. Plants establish slowly and decline if the rootball is disturbed once settled. The species tolerates heat and dry air but fails in wet, poorly drained soil, where the rhizome is prone to rot. Foliage is grayish-green through the growing season and does not change color in fall.
Native Range
Cheilanthes lanosa is native to the eastern and central United States, from Connecticut and New York south to Georgia and west to Kansas and Texas. It grows on dry rock outcrops, ledges, and cliff faces, typically on acidic substrates such as sandstone and granite.Suggested Uses
Used in rock gardens, crevice gardens, dry stone walls, and trough plantings. Suited to xeric and low-water landscapes on slopes or raised beds with rocky, fast-draining soil.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 1'4"
Width/Spread8" - 1'
Colors
Foliage Colors
Fall Foliage Colors
Bloom Information
Cheilanthes lanosa is a fern and does not flower. It reproduces by spores borne in sori along the recurved margins on the undersides of fertile fronds. Spores ripen from summer into early fall.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Gray-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Cheilanthes lanosa grows in sharply drained, gritty or rocky soil in part sun to part shade. It tolerates soil pH from about 5.5 to 7.0 and establishes in crevices, rock gardens, and the gaps of dry stone walls. Once established it withstands drought and summer heat, drawing on moisture stored in its rhizome. Standing water and heavy, wet soil cause rhizome rot, so raised or sloped sites hold up better than low ground. New plants need watering through the first season until roots reach into the surrounding substrate. Mature plants take little supplemental irrigation and no fertilizer in lean soils.Pruning
Pruning is limited to removing dead or weather-damaged fronds. Old fronds can be cut at the base in late winter before new growth emerges in spring. No other routine pruning is needed.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing