Ferns

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.

'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.

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.

PRN Preferred:  Bronze new growth all spring and summer.  Looks good throughout most of the winter.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

PRN Preferred:  We love the hardiness and the neat evergreen foliage of this fern.