Arachnioides simplicor ‘Variegata’

East Indian Holly

7-10

12-24”

Evergreen thru much of winter, slow creeping.  Used both for indoor & garden, this hardy fern has lustrous waxy green foliage with a  yellow band running thru the pinna axis.  A great color variation.   Moist to drier soil, part shade.

Upside Down Fern

Asplenium platyneuron

Ebony Spleenwort

4-8

6-16”

Arching/erect, short creeping,evergreen.  A great little slender Native fern in eastern US. with dark green oblong pinnate on dark reddis-brown stems. Likes both acid & calcareous rocks, but definitely drier soils (do over water).  A wonderful fern for rock walls & borders where it will naturally spore & creep.  Easy

Athyrium filix-femina

4-9

12-24”

Erect, deciduous, short-creeping.  Very common fern of northeastern N. America.  Native to moist, rich woodland.  Has a creeping rather than an erect crown-like rhizome.  Very adaptable, as she can tolerate drier soils and  more sun than one might think with this delicate foliage.  The fronds are not as sturdy as the Dryopteris & can easily be broken.  A great spreader.  Easy

Athyrium augustum forma rubellum

Lady in Red

3-8

30-36”

Deciduous, creeping, erect.  Known for her vibrant burgundy red stems that contrast beautifully with the green fronds.  Colors become more intense with age and less nitrogen.  A great colorful fern in mass planting in part shade& semi moist setting.

Athyrium filix-femina 'Minutissimum'

Dwarf Lady

Deciduous, erect colonizing crown. This is the perfect border fern with its dense beautiful light green color, fine textured foliage and compatibility to drier soils and some sun. Very easy. Great in container arrangements as well.

Athyrium  filix-femina var. aspleniodes

Southern Lady  Fern

4-9

16-36”

Deciduous, erect, short creeping, blade is broader & more triangular than the Northern lady. A common native in the Southeastern US.  Same conditions-moist, part-shade, woodland setting. Easy & a great feathery look  in the garden.

Athyrium x ‘Branford Rambler’

Brandford Rambler Fern

4-8

12-30”

Deciduous, good spreading,but not invasive.  Part shade/shade, moist to drier.  A  great ground cover fern with many of the characteristics of the Jap. Painted Fern, but has a reddish stem (stipe) and  greener not silvery foliage.  Form is more upright. The new foliage appears chartueuse.  A very attractive & EASY fern to grow.

Athyrium filix-femina’Frizelliae’

Tatting Fern

4-8

12-18”

Deciduous,clumping.  Part-shade/shade, moist/dry.This very unique fern fom Europe has narrow fronds 12-18” long with beadlike pinnea.  Likes a cooler/shady spot.  Often the fronds will darken during hot/humid days, but remove & it will bounce back with cooler temps in the fall.  Some do revert to other forms of Athyriums.  It’s  most interesting.   

Athyrium x ‘Ghost’

Ghost Fern

3-8

30-36”

Deciduous,colonizing.  Part-shade/shade, moist to dry.  A sterile cross between  the American Lady and Japanese Painted, this sturdy fern stands upright with little arching and has a ghostly gray coloration.  A very interesting color variation to explore in the garden. Easy

Athyrium filix-femina ‘Victoriae‘

Victoria Lady

4-9

18-24”

Deciduous, clumping, part-shade/shade/moist/semi-dry.  Truly one of Nature’s wonders as the pinnae swirl & crisscross to form x’s throughout the fonds with crested tips.  Known as “Queen of the Ferns”- She deserves a special site in the garden. EASY-ENJOY.

Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’

Japanese Painted Fern

4-9

12-20”

Deciduous. Colonizing, part shade/shade. Very popular hardy fern & one of the most colorful,with a wide range of silvers, burgandys, & greens.  Very adaptable to moist/slightly dry soils. 

Best color AM sun. Easy

Athyrium nipponicum ‘Pictum-Applecourt’

Applecourt Crested Fern

3-8

12-24”

Deciduous, colonizing.  Part-shade/shade, moist to drier soil.   At first glance, you see the Japanese Painted, but a closer look and age, the Applecourt  adds a  unique variation with her  beautifully crested frond tips  in her arching habit.  EASY and  interesting with all the wonderful colorations of the Jap. Painted Fern.

Regal Red Fern

Athryium otophorum

Eared (Auriculate) Lady Fern

5-9

12-24”

Deciduous, clumping. Part-shade/shade/moist. Purplish, hairy stems with pale green foliage .New fronds appear chartreuse.  A beautiful and very colorful arching lady.  EASY A favorite!

Blechnum spicant

Deer Fern

5-8

8-20”

Semievergeen,  Native to the Pacific Northwest.  An attractive flat rosette of dark green, leathery  fronds with it’s fertile fronds erect from the center giving it a founntain-like appearance.  Grows in moist ,coniferous forests in the wild & likes deep humus and acidic soil.  In the South, find a cool, moist site (pouts in the hot humid months, but springs back in the coolness of fall).  Definitely worth a try for a very attractive border, rock wall plant.

Cheilanthes sinunata

Wavy Cloak

8-9

6-18”

Semi evergreen, short creeping. Needs drier soil. Full sun part shade. A wonderful dwarf fern known for its grayish color contrast. Likes well drained limestone soil. Do not over water, especially in winter months. Desert fern.

Cheilanthes tomentosa

Wooly Lip Fern

6-8

8-14”

Deciduous, erect.  A great dwarf hardy fern.  The upper surface has white curly hairs on the deep green frond & the lower has a dense mat of  grayish hairs giving it a soft look.  Great for rocky bolders & in cracks of stone.  Do not over-water- likes drier soils both calcareous &acidic.  Can grows well in full sun or part shade. Easy

Wright's Lip Fern

Cyrtomium falcatum ‘Rochfordianum’

Japanese Holly Fern

6-10

12-30”

Evergreen, arching,erect crown.  This lustrous, deep green broader leafed fern has a has all the qualities of a great fern- color, texture, distinctive shape and very adaptable to various conditions.  Though native to Japan,  the holly fern has found the southern US very comfortable, as it will spore easily in the right location.  Protection from winter winds help keep it’s fonds attractive thru most of the winter.  Cutting back old fronds in early spring promote vigor & growth.  Older plants may have a 4’ spread.  A great foundation plant.  Likes moist, but can tolerate drier soils.  Do not plant in wet soil, needs good drainage. Part shade best,but can tolerate a lot of  sun (protect from late day sun). Easy

Cyrtomium falcatum var. maritimum

Mini Holly Fern

6-10

6-8”

Semi-evergreen, slightly arching. Same great qualities as Jap. Holly except is a dwarf variety. Great for borders with it's broader leaf texture. Easyy

Cyrtomium fortunei

Fortune’s Cold Hardy Holly

5-10

18-30”

Erect, semi-evergreen, erect crown.  Unlike the Japanese Holly, Fortune’s has a much duller green(almost bluish green) frond on a black scaly stem, giving it a unique color variation in the fern garden.  More upright in growth, the pinnae are more narrow than the Jap. Holly.  Easy

Dennstaedtia punctilobula

Hay-scented Fern

3-8

15-30”

Deciduous, erect-arching, creeping.  Native to N. America & the SE,  the hay-scented fern has beautiful, hairy fronds of pale green that turn a golden yellow in the fall.  Grows in the wild in open, sandy meadows or thinly wooded slopes.  A great spreading fern that can enjoy full sun or part shade.  Must be well drained soil.  If happy, forms a beautiful thin textured groundcover. Looks great softing large boulders or hard lines in the landscape.  Is very adaptable to most situations.  Easy & a wonderful color variation.

Deparia pycnosora

Big Brother Fern

4-8

18-42”

Deciduous, spreading.  A yellow-green aggressive fern with a color similar to hay-scented, but sturdier and taller.  Great for moist, partly shaded gardens.  Give it some room to spread.  Good looking’. 

Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’

Golden Scaled  Male Fern

‘The King’

4-8

24-48”

Deciduous, arching crown.  Another great specimen fern with it’s tightly crested pinnae tips on graceful arching 3’ fronds.  Easy & adaptable to most situations.  Does well in shaded gardens to part-sun.  Interesting. 

Dryopteris x australis

Dixie Wood Fern

5-9

48-60”

Semi evergreen, erect, clumping.  A beautiful upright, deep green & Tall fern. Serves great as a backbone to shade gardens , a screen, or foundation plant. Very adaptable and  easy .  Because of the weight of the fronds, usually afterseveral hard frosts, it will rest on the ground, staying green thru winter, but fronds need to be cut back early spring.  A wonderful plant to enjoy.

Dryopteris bissetiana

Beaded Wood Fern

5-8

12-24”

Evergreen, arching, short-creeping.  A great texture fern that holds it’s color well thru winter.  It’s small, rounded, leathery segments give it a beaded appearance.  Moist, wooded, well drained soil.  A very attractive fern.  Easy

Dryopteris carthusiana

Toothed Wood Fern

(Spinulosa Wood)

2-7

12-36”

Deciduous, erect, arching, ascending crown. Smooth triangular pinnae whose fronds are pale, feathery green turning yellow in the fall.  Grows  well in rich woodland and can do well in boggy areas  as well. Full shade, part sun.  Easy 

Dryopteris  celsa

Log Fern

5-9

36-48”

Semi evergreen, erect, short-creeping.  A parent to the Dixie Wood, these two ferns are sometimes mistaken for the other.  Native to the Eastern US, this is another great, hardy  fern with a rich, dark green color that enjoys moist , acid, woodland setting.  Easy

Dryopteris championii

Champion’s Wood Fern

5-8

12-36”

Evergreen, arching, short-creeping.  A great evergreen with handsome, dark green, glossy & leathery foliage .  Holds color & form well thru winter.  New fronds are a beautiful apple green .  Part shade.  Easy

Dryopteris cyandina (atrata)

Shaggy Shield Fern

(Black or Shaggy Wood)

5-8

18-36”

Semi-evergreen, erect, arching.  A great fern with a tropical  look as it fans out From the crown.  The deep green ,leathery fronds are borne on beautiful black Scaled stems.  Moist, part shade site is best, but not picky.  Easy & under used.

Dryopteris crasshirizoma

Thick Stemmed Wood Fern

5-8

24-42”

Deciduous erect arching crown. A great color contrast with its bluish green broadly triangular fronds that stand stiffly upright. Best in acidic woodland soil with lots of organic matter and more shade, but is very adaptable.

Dryopteris dilatata

‘Recurved Form’

Recurved  Broad Buckler Fern

4-8

24-42”

Semi evergreen, erect, arching, slow spreading.  An excellent tall fern with unique texture as the leaflets curve downward.  Does well in rich, woodland acidic soil.  Easy to grow and vigorous once established.  Definitely  is interesting & curious looking plant for the garden. 

Dryopteris  erythrosoa

Autumn Fern

5-8

18-24”

Evergreen, Part sun/shade, moist/dry soil.  Glossy green foliage turns beautiful red /oranges as new growth appears in spring & fall.  Most popular evergreen fern.  Very hardy & adaptable. Good container fern. EASY

Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’

Brilliance Autumn Fern

5-8

18-30”

Evergreen, slow spreading, erect-arching.  All the same great attributes as the Autumn, but  a bit sturdier stem and more ‘brilliant’ colorations of oranges & reds as the new growth appears.

Dryopteris filix-mas ‘Linearis’

Linear Male Fern

4-8

36”

Deciduous, short creeping, erect.  A tall variety of  the male fern with slender segments.  The fronds have a leathery, crisped texture, and are interestingly thin.  A unique texture to experience.  Moist, part shade conditions.  Cool

Dryopteris filix-mas 'Barnesii'

Barnes Male Fern

6-9

18-24”

Semi-evergreen, slender erect. Cool/ moist. Great for woodland setting. This handsome male is erect and very distinctive with its slender 4" wide fronds with toothed margins. Can tolerate some sun.

Dryopteris filix-mas x complexa

Robust Male Fern

4-8

24-48”

Semi-evergreen, erect/arching with erect crown. A great looking tough fern with wonderful texture. Part shade, part sun. Can tolerate drier soils and more sun. Easy

Dryopteris formosana

Formosan Wood/ Limelight Fern

6-9

18-24”

Semi-evergreen, erect, arching crown. A colorful oriental dryopteris that is distinctive with very long basal pinnules giving a pentagonal form to the blade. The fronds have a swirling appearance. Likes a more shady spot in the garden. Easy

Dryopteris goldiana

Goldie’s Wood Fern

3-8

36-48”

Deciduous, arching, short creeping.  This native fern to the Southeast  is the largest of the native ferns.  It occurs in cool, moist woods  often near streams. A very attractive fern with a golden tint as the new fronds appear in the spring.

Fancy Fern

Dryopteris lacera

Leathery Wood Fern

5-8

12-24”

Evergreen to semi, erect arching, crown.  A lighter green color and leathery texture of this fern  makes it distinctive in the garden.  In nature it appears on hilly slopes, along mountain streams, and in moist woodlands.  Adaptable & Easy.

Dryopteris ludoviciana

Southern Shield

Southern Wood Fern

6-9

24-48”

Semi evergreen, erect, short-creeping.  A very attractive tall, slender, glossy, dark green fern that is native in the wet woods & swamps of the southeastern US.  Although a swamp-loving fern, is quite adaptable to less moist conditions.

A good woodland addition.  Easy

Dryopteris marginalis

Eastern Wood Fern

Marginal Wood Fern

2-8

18-30”

Evergreen, erect-arching, crown.  A common native fern to the Southeastern US, it is one of the most attractive evergreens with it’s bluish green foliage. It performs well all winter, and it’s crown is just as attractive with it’s dense light brown scales.  A great woodland fern  and is very easy to grow.  A must for the shade garden.

Dryopteris pseudo-filix-mas

Mexican Male Fern

5-8

30-48”

Semi evergreen, erect crown.  A great ,very hardy garden fern that forms a very large crown.  Likes moist , but can dry, and grows naturally in higher elevations.  Easy and very attractive. 

Dryopteris remota

Remote Wood Fern

4-8

24-36”

Semi evergreen, erect ,crown.  An excellent fern for a woodland setting with its delicate textured frond on golden scaled stipe.  Very hardy & adaptable  to most all conditions.  Easy

Dryopteris sieboldii

Siebold’s Wood Fern

6-8

12-24”

Arching-erect, semi evergreen, short creeping.  Quite unique from other species of the genus  Dryopteris, having only 2-5 pairs of broad, leathery, undivided leaflet with a terminal pinnate 8-12” long.  Handsome, but slow growing.  It’s worth the wait.  Moist, not wet, shady site.

Dryopteris tokyoensis

Tokyo Wood Fern

5-8

18-36”

Deciduous, erect, crown.  A  slender wood fern with stiff, narrow, erect deep green fronds.  A vigorous grower that looks similar to our native Christmas fern, except this is more slender and upright.  Easy,  a real winner.

Hypolepis grandulifera

Bramble Fern

(Marianna Maiden)

7-10

36-60”

Deciduous,  long-creeping, arching.  The extremely large fronds are triangular and four times divided with spare hairs.  Found in moist, open woods & wet meadows in tropical America.  Be sure you have room  for this to show it’s graceful beauty.   A fast spreader. Easy.

Lygodium japonicum

Japanese Climbing Fern

8-10

5-20’

Deciduous, erect-twining, short creeping.  Fronds are 8-12” wide and the pinnae have long triangular segments.  Likes open woods and has become naturalized into the southeastern coastal US.  Very attractive delicate foliage. 

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Ostrich Fern
Shuttlecock Fern

2-6

24-72”

Deciduous, erect, erect crown, spreading.  In a class of it’s own, the Ostrich produces a vase-shaped clump of fronds from a stout & erect rhizome.  The fronds create a plume like appearance.  It is spreading and can create a beautiful effect.  Occurs in wooded river bottomlands & swamps.  It is so versatile, however, that it can do well in drier soils and in full sun. Part shade is best for color. It resembles a tree fern as it sheds its fronds, and the crown extends upward giving a trunk effect.  A must for every fern lover.  Easy

Microlepia stigosa

Lace Fern

6-10

12-24”

Deciduous, erect, colonizing.  A wonderful fern with lacy delicate foliage, but tougher than it appears.  Pale green to yellowish color makes this a great color addition.  Moist to dry soil, part-shade.

Onoclea Sensibilis

Sensitive Fern

2-10

12-36”

Deciduous, erect. Short-creeping.  This broader leafed native fern is  a great spreading fern, forming a dense groundcover.   It can be found  in the wild in moist, ditches, marshes, and swamps, both in shade and full sun. The fertile fronds are very  with woody beaded stems.  Known  as Sensitive because  it is to the first frost.  Very hardy , easy, & good-looking.

Osmunda cinnamomea

Cinnamon Fern

2-10

30-60”

Deciduous, erect, compact.  Named for its bright cinnamon-colored fertile fronds in the spring.   A  wonderful native plant that is common in swamps & wetland, river & creek banks.  Can live in drier soil in part shade or full sun.  A very impressive plant when mature.

Osmunda claytoniana

Interrupted Fern

2-8

24-48”

Deciduous, erect, compact.  Another majestic fern , often mistaken for the Cinnamon Fern, but is distinct in having the sporangia borne in the middle of the frond with leaflets above & below, thus giving it the “interrupted” effect.  Prefers moist, acid loving, but not swampy site like the cinnamon.

Osmunda regalis

European Royal Fern

2-10

24-60”

Deciduous, erect, compact.  A very attractive species with oblong, smooth leaflet.  It is fuller & fleshier than the American Royal.  It occurs in swamps & wet sites in eastern N America.  Does best in moist , part shade site. Easy  

Osmunda regalis var. regalis 'Purpurascens'

Purple Stem Royal Fern

4-8

4-6”

Deciduous, arching. Same great qualities and habit as the regalis but the stipe and rachis are purplish rather than green. Keep moist.N America.  Does best in moist , part shade site. Easy  

Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis

American Royal Fern

2-10

24-60”

 Deciduous, erect, compact. One of the most attractive ferns. Foliage is deep  green with long smooth edges. Likes moist, acidic shady site, although can tolerate sunnier spots as well. A beautiful and graceful plant.

Pellaea viridis

Green Cliff Brake

4-9

8-20”

Semi evergreen, erect-arching, short creeping.  A great fern with triangular leaflets on black erect stems.  Very attractive, good texture variation, and spores easily in the garden, and can become a great groundcover.  Easy

Polypodium polpodioides

Resurrection Fern

6-10

4-8”

Erect, evergreen, long creeping.  Native to the southeastern US, the blade is lance shaped. Commonly found on trees  & rocks.  An attractive little fern  that appears dead during dry conditions, but “resurrects” itself when moisture returns.  Great on logs, or rocks (prefers oak or pecan woods).

Polystichum acristichoides

Christmas Fern

3-9

12-24”

Arching, evergreen, multiple crowns.  The most common for the southeastern native ferns. Easy and very adaptable.  Best among rocks & drier soils, rather than rich woodland. Great for erosion on slopes.

Polystichum aculeatum

Hard Shield Fern

4-8

12-36”

Arching, evergreen, erect crown.  Dramatic fronds  of glossy, dark green, leathery, & usually stiff with reddish brown scales.  Looks like the P. setiferum.  Likes, rich, limey , woodland setting.   

Polystichum polyblepharum

Tassel Fern

5-8

12-24”

Evergreen, arching, erect crown.  One of the most popular evergreen ferns,  with symmetrical spreading crown with broad, glossy leaves.  I likes light shade and moist rich soil.  It is a beautiful fern that can be used indoors ad well as in the garden.  Easy

Polystichum setiferum ‘Divisilobum’

Soft Shield Fern

5-8

30-48”

Semi evergreen, erect-arching, erect crown.  A beautiful lance-shaped, glossy, & a beautiful green with golden brown scales.  The leaves are soft & have a drooping effect.  It bears baby bulbils along the stem.  Likes a cool, shady, moist location.

Pteridium aquilinum

Bracken Fern

3-10

18-48”

Deciduous, erect, arching. Native to Southeast, this often invasive but attractive fern has a very long creeping rhizome habit with slender, ¼" long pinnule tips. Common in old fields, pine barrens and forests. Can take full sun. Easy Note: strongly carcinogenic to grazing animals and humans if ingested.

Polystichum tsus-simense

Korean Rock Fern

6-8

8-18”

Semi evergreen, erect, crown.  A dainty smaller fern very popular for indoor use in pots. Great for borders in the garden & rock walls areas.  Light shade, moist, but good drainage.  Do not over water.

Pteris cretica ‘Albolineata’

Ribbon Fern

Cretan Brake Fern

8-10

8-24”

Deciduous, erect, compact.  A wonderful color variation with creamy white band along the Midvein on broadly triangular leaflet with larger basal pinnae.  Used  extensively for indoors, but with some protection has been successful in the garden in Zone 7.  Likes shady, lime soil, and good drainage. Good in borders & rock  walls.

Spider Brake

Chinese Brake Fern

Selaginella braunii

Arborvitae fern

5-10

6-20”

Semi evergreen, slow spreading, colonizing.  A lacy spike moss that is very attractive with it’s cedar-like appearance & texture.  Has naturalized in parts of the southeastern US.  A great groundcover & border fern.  Part shade, keep moist. Easy

Selaginella kraussiana

Spikemoss

6-10

4-6"

Semi evergreen, creeping moss.  Many color variations from bight golden yellow-greens to  deep green.  Moist, but not wet,  likes some sun.  Good tucked in rock areas to spread.. Great in containers as a trailing ground cover.

Selaginella uncinata

Spikemoss Peacock

6-10

3-6"

Semi-evergreen, trailing or spreading ground cover. The most common and popular of the spikemosses with its bluish green iridescent color. Very hardy. Best color and behavior with little fertilizer. Turns wonderful rust color in fall and winter. Easy

Selaginella kraussiana 'Brownii'

Pincushion Spikemoss

6-10

3"

Semi-evergreen, mounding, creeping. This spike moss is often referred here at Fernridge as the "brainplant" as it resembles just that with it's beautiful deep green mounding habit. Best in containers or terrariums, but can be successful outdoors.y

Thelyperis decursive-pinnata

Japanese Beech Fern

4-10

12-24”

Deciduous, erect, spreading.  A vigorous grower bright green  that quickly becomes a groundcover.  A great hardy fern used in rock walls to creep, as a border, or in a mass planting.  Likes part shade and consistent moist soil.  Do not let dry out. Easy

Thelypteris kunthii

Southern(River) Wood Fern

(Southern Shield)

8-10

12-24”

Deciduous, arching, erect, short/long creeping.  One of the best ferns for the South.  A fast grower that can be planted in full sun or part shade.  In sun keep moist. Very adaptable.  Great for foundation plantings as well as softening rocks & boulders.   Easy

Thelypteris kunthii

ovata lindheimer

Dwarf River Wood

Thelypteris noveboracensis

New York Fern

4-8

12-24” 

Deciduous, erect, long creeping.  A common native fern to eastern US. Has delicate, yellow-Green blade that  tapers at both ends.  A strong grower & very aggressive.  excellent for filling in spaces in lightly shaded woodlands or gardens where space is not a problem. Can become invasive.  Easy.

Thelypteris palustris

Marsh Fern

2-10

18-30”

Deciduous, erect, wide creeping.  Very similar to the New York Fern  with it’s fine texture & rapid spreading habit, but a bit taller. Easy

Woodwardia areolata

Netted Chain Fern

3-9

12-24”

Deciduous, erect, long-creeping.  A  beautiful, broader leafed spreading native to the southeast.  Often mistaken for the sensitive fern , and grows in similar situations. A great groundcover. Easy

Woodwardia orientalis

Oriental Chain Fern

8-10

36-60”

Evergreen, arching, compact crown.  The lustrous surface of this large fern bears it’s babies on it’s massive glossy, smooth leaves.  Part shade, moist. Truly a specimen fern that is a focal point needing plenty of room to show off.