hot rock fern

Pellaea calidirupium | hot rock fern

A distinctive fern with dark green fronds and blackish stalks, typically reaching 30–50 cm tall. It favours warm, rocky sites in semi-open conditions, anchoring its roots deep within crevices where they are protected and able to access retained moisture. Remarkably hardy, it withstands both frost and full sun so long as its base is sheltered.  In cultivation it makes a striking feature for rock gardens, dry banks, or containers, its dark foliage adding bold contrast and texture. Appropriately named the hot rock fern, it is found across eastern Australia and New Zealand, celebrated for its resilience in warm, rocky, and sometimes arid environments.