Have a nice shady spot you’d like to establish some native ferns in? Like to know what your best choices are for it? This article will highlight some of the best shade loving native ferns for your garden or landscape.
Adiantum pedatum L. (Northern Maidenhair Fern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Pteridaceae – Maidenhair Fern family
Genus Adiantum L. – maidenhair fern
Species Adiantum pedatum L. – northern maidenhair
This fern grows to 12-18 inches high and needs to be spaced about 9-12 inches apart. It prefers partial to full shade in moist, well drained, alkaline soil. It is grown for its foliage, and is a beautiful light, delicate, airy fern. It has yellow fall foliage and nearly black stems, with no discernable flowers. You can propagate this fern by dividing the rootball.
Asplenium platyneuron (L.) B.S.P. (Ebony Spleenwort)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Aspleniaceae – Spleenwort family
Genus Asplenium L. – spleenwort
Species Asplenium platyneuron (L.) B.S.P. – ebony spleenwort
Ebony Spleenwort is an evergreen fern with shiny and smooth fronds. It will get up to 18 inches high and needs one foot spacing. It grows best in partial to full shade, like most ferns, and loves moist rich soil. To propagate you may divide the rootball. There are non-noticeable flowers of no floral value…the plant is grown for its foliage. It is a small, but hardy, fern.
Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth var. asplenoides (Michx.) Hulten (Asplenium Ladyfern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Dryopteridaceae – Wood Fern family
Genus Athyrium Roth – ladyfern
Species Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth – common ladyfern
Subspecies Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth ssp. asplenioides (Michx.) Hultén – asplenium ladyfern
This beautiful fern grows up to 3 feet tall and needs spacing of up to 18 inches apart. It prefers partial to full shade for optimum growth. This fern is easy to grow, and has average water needs. There are non-noticeable flowers and is grown for its silver gray foliage. It is a dense clump-forming fern, and you divide these clumps to propagate.
Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw. (Rattlesnake Fern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Ophioglossales –
Family Ophioglossaceae – Adder’s-tongue family
Genus Botrychium Sw. – grapefern
Species Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw. – rattlesnake fern
Rattlesnake fern only grows up to 12 inches high. It is a difficult slow growing fern, but is very lovely to look at if you want to put the effort into it. It prefers light shade and rich woodland soil. It will reproduce by spores and is difficult to propagate.The center clusters look like a rattlesnake rattle, hence its name.
Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) T. Moore (Eastern Hayscented Fern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Dennstaedtiaceae – Bracken Fern family
Genus Dennstaedtia Bernh. – hayscented fern
Species Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) T. Moore – eastern hayscented fern
This fine fern gets up to 12-18 inches tall and requires 12-24 inch spread spacing. It prefers partial to full shade and slightly acidic soil. It’s an aromatic fern, evergreen, and no discernable blooms. Its foliage has lacy leaflets and green fronds. To propagate you can divide the rhizomes.
Dryopteris marginalis (L.) Gray (Marginal Woodfern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Dryopteridaceae – Wood Fern family
Genus Dryopteris Adans. – woodfern
Species Dryopteris marginalis (L.) Gray – marginal woodfern
This fern gets up to 3 feet high and prefers full shade. It is mainly found in rich woodlands, road banks, and streams. It has blue-green evergreen foliage with 5-8 inch wide fronds. You can propagate with division of the crowns near the main rosette. It is a slow spreader, so put in moist organic soil to stimulate growth.
Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott (Christmas Fern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Dryopteridaceae – Wood Fern family
Genus Polystichum Roth – hollyfern
Species Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott – Christmas fern
This slow spreading perennial gets up to 3 feet in height and spreads to an area of one foot. It prefers partial to full shade and is drought tolerant. Its evergreen foliage stays green all winter. It is drought tolerant. Christmas fern fronds were formerly used for Christmas decorations.
Thelypteris novaboracensis (L.) Nieuwl. (New York Fern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Thelypteridaceae – Marsh Fern family
Genus Thelypteris Schmidel – maiden fern
Species Thelypteris noveboracensis (L.) Nieuwl. – New York fern
This fern gets up to 2 feet tall and needs an equal spacing. Its fronds taper towarde the base and it is resistant to deer. It prefers partial to full shade and mildly acidic to neutral soil. It is usually seen growing in moist woods. It is slow growing but easy to transplant. You can divide the rootball to propagate.
Osmunda cinnamomea L. (Cinnamon Fern)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Division Pteridophyta – Ferns
Class Filicopsida –
Order Polypodiales –
Family Osmundaceae – Royal Fern family
Genus Osmunda L. – osmunda
Species Osmunda cinnamomea L. – cinnamon fern
This fern gets up to 3-4 feet tall and needs a 2-3 foot spread. It loves partial to full shade and moist acidic soil. It is also very long lived and tough for a fern. There are bluish green fronds and the middle has a cinamon stick looking fiddles in the spring. Coarse antique looking leaves make this a winner in the garder. You can propagate this by dividing the rhizomes.
