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Ferns
Athyrium, Blechnum, Cyrtomium, Dryopteris, Matteuccia, Polystichum, & Thelypteris
Athyrium, Blechnum, Cyrtomium, Dryopteris, Matteuccia, Polystichum, & Thelypteris
Sun exposure: part shade to full shade (4 or less hours of sunlight a day), depending
on the variety
Soil: performs best in average soils
Traits
Special Care Instructions
Generally ferns are care free plants, needing very little attention.
Flowering Time
Ferns do not use flowers for reproduction.
Characteristics, Uses, and Fun Facts
Ferns have been around for more than 300 million years and in that time the diversification of their form has been phenomenal. Thousands of species of ferns grow in many different habitats around the world. Whether you have a secluded pond, sunny rock wall or a serene woodland setting, you can find an assortment of ferns to add beauty to any spot in the garden.
Most ferns do well in part shade or dappled sunlight, but there are a few which will do well with quite a bit of sun, provided they get enough water. These easy going plants rarely need to be divided. Deciduous ferns can be trimmed as the fronds yellow in late fall and early winter. Evergreen ferns do best if the older fronds are trimmed off in late winter or early spring, just before the new fronds emerge.
Ferns come in an amazing range of texture, color, sizes and and shapes. Their ease and versatility make them an essential part of any well rounded shaded garden.
Varieties
on the variety
Soil: performs best in average soils
Traits
Special Care Instructions
Generally ferns are care free plants, needing very little attention.
Flowering Time
Ferns do not use flowers for reproduction.
Characteristics, Uses, and Fun Facts
Ferns have been around for more than 300 million years and in that time the diversification of their form has been phenomenal. Thousands of species of ferns grow in many different habitats around the world. Whether you have a secluded pond, sunny rock wall or a serene woodland setting, you can find an assortment of ferns to add beauty to any spot in the garden.
Most ferns do well in part shade or dappled sunlight, but there are a few which will do well with quite a bit of sun, provided they get enough water. These easy going plants rarely need to be divided. Deciduous ferns can be trimmed as the fronds yellow in late fall and early winter. Evergreen ferns do best if the older fronds are trimmed off in late winter or early spring, just before the new fronds emerge.
Ferns come in an amazing range of texture, color, sizes and and shapes. Their ease and versatility make them an essential part of any well rounded shaded garden.
Varieties
Growing Conditions
Deer Resistant
Woodland Plant
Good Cut Foliage
Beech Fern (Thelypteris decursive-pinnata) 12-24" tall
| • | Native to eastern and southeastern Asia but closely related to our native Beech Ferns. |
| • | Plants form spreading clumps of upright dark-green fronds, forming a neat mound that is ideal for the front of a moist, shady border. |
| • | Its spreading habit makes this fern a great groundcover. |
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Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant) 18" tall x 24" wide
| • | Spreading habit, great for groundcover! |
| • | Sterile fronds spread flat, creating a glossy, evergreen groundcover. Fertile fronds emerge upright from the center in mid-summer. |
| • | New growth is a pale green compared to its mature deep green foliage. |
| • | The Deer Fern prefers consistently moist sites with well-drained soil, but once established it is drought tolerant. |
Ghost Fern (Athyrium x 'Ghost') 18-24" tall
| • | New growth emerges a stunning silvery-white in the spring and matures to gray-green with a subtle metallic overlay. |
| • | A hybrid between Japanese Painted and Lady Fern. |
| • | A very vigorous grower with a strongly upright habit. |
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| • | Gray-green, upright fronds with holly-like leaf formations. |
| • | Its unique form and evergreen foliage makes a nice addition to the hosta garden, especially when planted in small groups. |
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Japanese Holly Fern (Cyrtomium fortunei) 18-24" tall
| • | Graceful foliage with reddish-purple stems grows freely when planted in a moist, shade garden. |
| • | Great for brightening up a dark area and blending with almost anything. |
| • | One of the most colorful and easy-to-grow hardy ferns. |
| • | Provides contrast and interest when planted with Hostas. |
Regal Red Japanese Painted Fern 12-18" tall
(Athyrium niponicum 'Regal Red')
(Athyrium niponicum 'Regal Red')
| • | Slender, vase-shaped, vigorously growing fern. |
| • | An attractive vertical accent with dark green fronds that are rigidly erect. |
| • | Native to the forests of Japan and Korea and grows best in part to full shade. |
| • | Pair with Toad Lilies and Yellow Waxbells for a piece of Japanese woodlands in your own backyard. |
Tokyo Wood Fern (Dryopteris tokyoensis) 18-36" tall
Tassel Fern (Polystichum polyblepharum) 18-24" tall
| • | The delicate, fine textured fronds on the Tassel Fern make it a great addition to a shady woodland setting. |
| • | This fern is particularly beautiful when new fronds emerge stiffly, then droop backwards to form a tassel. These tassels disappear as fronds flatten with maturity. |
| • | This is an evergreen plant, but old fronds should be cut back in early spring before new growth appears. |
| • | A well drained site ensures this fern will come back year after year. |
| • | A wonderfully fun fern with huge plume-like fronds that arch from a central crown. |
| • | Spreads by short rhizomes and will produce large colonies over time. |
| • | Very tolerant of growing conditions, withstanding quite a bit of sun given adequate water and conversely, quite a bit of drought given adequate shade. |
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The King Ostrich Fern 36" tall
(Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King')
(Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King')
| • | Victoria is a beautifully dainty fern that is hard to describe! |
| • | Bright emerald green fronds with crested tips and criss-crossing pinnae that form X's up the frond stem. |
| • | A strong grower with a nice vase shaped habit that is perfect for the for the woodland garden |
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Victoria Lady Fern 18-24" tall
(Athyrium felix-femina 'Vicotriae')
(Athyrium felix-femina 'Vicotriae')
An Ostrich Fern and Ghost Fern combined with Hostas and Deadnettle (Lamium)
