Adiantum pedatum

Five Finger Maidenhair Fern is a lovely woodland native, thriving in moist humus rich soils. Preferring cool summer temperatures, Adiantum pedatum is hardy all the way to zone 2. The bright green airy fronds are made more attractive by the shiny wiry black stems. Since Maidenhair Fern spreads by rhizomes on the surface of moist soils, it can eventually form an excellent woodland groundcover. This fern will not perform well in full sun or hot summer sites.

H: 18 Inches  ·   S: 18 Inches  ·   Zone: 2

Asplenium scolopendrium

Evergreen fern with strappy fronds that remain bright green and lush year-round. Compact and low-growing. Brown, linear rows of sori on undersides of fronds resemble centipedes. Deer and rabbit resistant. Tolerant of heavy shade and moist, well-drained soils.

H: 14 Inches  ·   S: 14 Inches  ·   Zone: 5

Athyrium filix-femina

Lady Fern has green lacy foliage, and is a deciduous clump. It is relatively sun tolerant, in spite of its fine foliage. A good filler for moist woodland gardens.

H: 24 Inches  ·   S: 18 Inches  ·   Zone: 5

Athyrium filix-femina 'Lady In Red'

The medium green delicate foliage of 'Lady in Red' Lady Fern is set off by deep red stems for a striking effect. A deciduous clump.

H: 24 Inches  ·   S: 18 Inches  ·   Zone: 5

Athyrium nipponicum 'Pearly White'

Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum'

Japanese Painted Fern has showy silver, purple and green foliage. It is a deciduous creeper. Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum' was the 2004 Perennial Plant of the Year.

H: 18 Inches  ·   S: 24 Inches  ·   Zone: 3

Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum Godzilla'

H: 36 Inches  ·   S: 48 Inches  ·   Zone: 3

Athyrium nipponicum 'Regal Red'

'Regal Red' Japanese Painted Fern lights up shady spots with a beautiful combination of silver and burgundy red coloration on the delicately cut fronds. The dark red is displayed primarily on the interior of the frond, and it leaches outward to bright silver outer edges. Although a slow spreader, Athyrium nipponicum 'Regal Red' will eventually colonize a shady location well.

H: 18 Inches  ·   S: 24 Inches  ·   Zone: 4

Athyrium x 'Ghost'

'Ghost' Lady Fern is a hybrid of A. filix-femina and A. nipponicum 'Pictum'. This fern combines the best of its parents in its brilliant silvery coloring on a light green background. The habit of Athyrium x 'Ghost' is somewhat upright and the color lights up dark spots amazingly. A deciduous clump which slowly widens, 'Ghost' was found in a garden in Richmond, Virginia as a spontaneous seedling.

H: 24 Inches  ·   S: 16 Inches  ·   Zone: 4

Cyrtomium falcatum 'Rochfordianum'

Attractive evergreen fern with dark green pinnate fronds and a lovely arching vase shape, perfect for the shady woodland garden. Good for container arrangements and as a houseplant.

H: 24 Inches  ·   S: 24 Inches  ·   Zone: 6

Cyrtomium fortunei

Dennstaedtia punctilobula

Hay-scented Fern has lacy green foliage that will take somewhat dry, relatively sunny sites. Dennstaedtia punctilobula is a deciduous spreader that can handle poor soils well. When the fronds are brushed against, they release the smell of fresh cut hay.

H: 18 Inches  ·   S: 36 Inches  ·   Zone: 3

Dryopteris erythrosora Brilliance™

Brilliance™ Autumn Fern was selected for its striking new fronds which emerge throughout the spring and summer in shades of salmon, copper and orange. The semi-evergreen fronds then mature to glossy medium green, adding a bright note to woodland settings. Since Autumn Ferns spread slowly by rhizomes, they make a good groundcover in shady sites. Consistent moisture is needed to promote new frond production.

H: 24 Inches  ·   S: 24 Inches  ·   Zone: 5

Dryopteris filix-mas

Robust Male Fern has dark green foliage, and does well in deep shade, as well as in sun. Dryopteris filix-mas is a deciduous clump. Highly adaptable because it is relatively sun tolerant.

H: 36 Inches  ·   S: 24 Inches  ·   Zone: 3

Dryopteris ludoviciana

Dryopteris marginalis

Evergreen Wood Fern has dark green, leathery foliage and tolerates relatively dry sites. Dryopteris marginalis is an evergreen clump that performs well on forest edges.

H: 18 Inches  ·   S: 18 Inches  ·   Zone: 2

Dryopteris wallichiana 'Jurassic Gold' PP32735

Emerging fronds are vivid shades of yellow, orange or gold in spring. Fronds mature to bright green with darker scales on the stems. Semi-evergreen clumper.

H: 24 Inches  ·   S: 18 Inches  ·   Zone: 6

Dryopteris x australis

Dixie Wood Fern has shiny green foliage which is large and dramatic. It is a vigorous cross between the Log Fern and the Southern Wood Fern. A large, semi-evergreen clump.

H: 48 Inches  ·   S: 24 Inches  ·   Zone: 5

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Ostrich Fern has edible fiddleheads in the spring, followed by tall green fronds. It is very wet site tolerant and is a deciduous rapid spreader. Matteuccia struthiopteris is also relatively sun tolerant, if in a wet location.

H: 48 Inches  ·   S: 60 Inches  ·   Zone: 3

Onoclea sensibilis

Eastern North American native fern with broad, deeply lobed, bright green, deciduous vegetative fronds on long stipes throughout the spring, summer and early fall months. Ornamentally interesting, brown fertile fronds persist throughout the winter into the following growing season. Prefers moist, woodland soil conditions to prevent rhizomes from drying out.

H: 36 Inches  ·   S: 36 Inches  ·   Zone: 4

Osmunda cinnamomea

Cinnamon Fern has medium green somewhat coarse foliage. The fertile fronds are cinnamon colored, and very upright. Osmunda cinnamomea is very wet site tolerant, and a deciduous creeper. Great in rain gardens.

H: 36 Inches  ·   S: 36 Inches  ·   Zone: 2

Osmunda regalis

Royal Fern is a tall broad fronded fern that thrives in wet, shady sites. At 48", it towers over other native ferns and stands out because of its coarse open texture. Osmunda regalis is a deciduous spreader, slowly colonizing moist woodland settings. When provided with consistent moisture, Royal Fern ever tolerates full sun. An excellent tall addition to stream sides, ponds, rain gardens and wet meadows.

H: 48 Inches  ·   S: 48 Inches  ·   Zone: 3

Phegopteris (Thelypteris) decursive-pinnata

Vigorously spreading fern capable of acting as a lovely deep shade-tolerant groundcover with resistance to deer and rabbits. Will form dense, non-aggressive colonies and performs well in moist, well-drained soils.

H: 18 Inches  ·   S: 16 Inches  ·   Zone: 4

Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas Fern has green, shiny foliage. Polystichum acrostichoides is an evergreen spreader that looks like a Boston Fern. It hugs the ground in winter.

H: 18 Inches  ·   S: 24 Inches  ·   Zone: 3