CMK, I never met a Japanese Painted Fern I didn't like. [g] I'm always picking up another one and bringing it home. They seem to work out no matter where I plant them. I do have a 'Burgundy Lace' and it is moderately vigorous and performs in just about full shade on the north side of the house and once in awhile gets extra water and always looks good. The colors are different than my other JPFerns. More silvery with dark markings down the center and the new fronds are very burgundy. Hard to describe, here's a photo in it's second year in this location. You can see in the upper right corner one of the new fronds...

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Just the regular one that's labelled "Japanese Painted Fern". I've never seen a specific cultivar in the local nurseries - ?

I've only had 'Pictum' in my garden, but I've done a comparison of most others in nursery conditions.

My understanding is that 'Pictum' is sometimes produced by spores and is therefore quite variable.

'Burgundy Lace' has more red colouration generally than 'Pictum', and is IMO, the most colourful of all the cultivars. 'Ursula's Red' is a very close second.

'Pewter Lace' is very silver, with little/no red colouration.

'Applecourt' is unique for having crested tips, but has little red colouration, i.e. is more silver.

'Branford Rambler' is unique for being somewhat spreading, but also has little red colouration.

The other varieties you mention, I have not grown.

I'll second CPG's opinions......I prefer 'Burgundy Lace' to all others because of the intensity of the coloration. New growth is especially vivid and it is maintained well even in quite heavy shade. Some of the others may be useful as well, depending on the look you are trying to achieve. I rather like 'Ghost' (a hybrid) in combo with Brunnera 'Jack Frost' or 'Looking Glass' as it is an icy silver in color and really accents the brunnera's variegation. On its own, it just looks washed out and anemic.

In addition to 'Pictum', I have a couple of 'Ursula's Red', which I obtained from Ursula and 'Applecourt'.

'Applecourt' is the only one of the cultivars you listed, that is significantly different from 'Pictum', as it has crested pinnae. If you grow 'Pictum' for a number of years and the habitat is suitable for reproduction, you are likely to have sporelings from it, that because of genetic diversity, can mimic the colors and habit of all of the other named cultivars. After all, that is how they originated.
The color of the fronds are dependent upon the age of the plant, amount and length of light exposure and possibly other environmental conditions. I have always considered it to be a waste of money to purchase any other cultivars, as 'Ursula's Red' was a huge disappointment, appearing no different from some of my fortuitous sporelings.

You might also consider Athyrium x 'Ghost', a garden hybrid between the Painted Fern and our native Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina). It has an upright habit, like the Lady Fern and the silver/gray coloration of A.n. 'Pictum'.

-prairiemoon, How mank kinds of JP ferns do you grow? You must have a lovely shade garden.

I was hoping to avoid silvery foliage, as the bed has mostly golden and burgundy colors to it. Hummmm....this is difficult. I love the look of the newer Burgundy Lace fronds, but don't know how much silver would show up. I could aways go with A. filix-femina 'Lady in Red' if the Burgund Lace doesn't work I suppose. Or I could do something else entirely and get that crested Asplenium scolopendrium I have been lusting for. ;-)

-ladywindsurfer, thanks for the comparisons, it was very helpful! I am so envious of you for getting seedlings! I think my shade garden might be a little to cramped for much seeding. I have seen pics of 'Applecourt', it really looks like a beauty.

Thanks again to all of you for your imput. It is really interesting to hear comparisons of them...
CMK

CMK- I am usually trying to save money on plants [g], and with something I like enough to buy multiples of, I am usually just picking up more when they are at bargain prices. I try to go to a few of my favorite local plant sales in the spring every year and JPFerns have been about $4. a pot and not special cultivars. The one 'Burgundy Lace' that I have, I did buy at a nursery in the fall for 50% off it's $16. original price and I'm happy I did.

I have seen most of the cultivars mentioned here and I think 'Burgundy Lace' appealed to me the most. I think it is more silver than the Pictum for sure. I am a big fan of 'Ghost' and I have at least three of those already. It is very vigorous and well behaved and I enjoy it. I like the color, although I wouldn't describe it as white or pale at all.

I have a lot of shade in my garden, but a lot of Maple tree roots and so my 'shade' gardens are still not what I want them to be. I keep working on the soil and adding more plants every year, experimenting a lot to find perennials that will tolerate dry shade.

I have a bed surrounding a Bloodgood Japanese Maple with burgundys and golds too. I do have some JPFerns there with the silver in them and they do seem to work fine to me. Two plants I might mention for those tones, I added a 'Fire Island' Hosta last year and that is quite gold/yellow. And I just planted a 'Frosted Violet' Heuchera under the Bloodgood and they really complement each other.

This is a really good thread. I have been tempted for some time to order a named variety of JPF, as it is also one of my favorite shade plants. I am so glad to read your opinions.
I would just add this to the discussion. Here in the Deep South, JPF fades to almost solid green by fall, losing its silver AND its burgundy coloration for the most part. I still love it. As a combination, I have Purple oxalis planted by it and that shamrock color helps to pull out every last bit of the purple for as long as it lasts.

I may just have to loosen up and purchase Burgundy Lace one of these days. :)

the thing that continues to amaze me about jpntd ferns is that they are very drought tolerant. i have had them pretty happy for yrs now in my most challenging area- under big sugar maples.
best,
mindy