Ferns
Christmas Fern The Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, occurs in both dry and moist wooded slopes, moist banks and ravines. Stocking shape of the pinnae also suggests Christmas. Crosiers (young fiddleheads) in spring are silvery and scaled. Sori appear on the undersides of the pinnae only at the ends (last 1/3) of the fronds. The evergreen fronds provide good winter interest for the landscape. This fern does not spread but the clumps increase in size over time. These plants serve as hosts for butterfly larvae.
Christmas Fern The Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, occurs in both dry and moist wooded slopes, moist banks and ravines. It typically grows in a fountain-like clump to 2' tall and features leathery, lance-shaped, evergreen (green at Christmas time as the common name suggests) fronds. Stocking shape of the pinnae also suggests Christmas. Sori appear on the undersides of the pinnae only at the ends (last 1/3) of the fronds. This fern does not spread but the clumps increase in size over time. These plants serve as hosts for butterfly larvae.
Cinnamon Fern When new fronds appear, they have a cinnamon color. The yellowish-green sterile fronds remain attractive throughout the summer and turn yellow in autumn. Plant them in a loamy woodland soil in some shade to mimic the natural environment. This fern is used in container plantings, rock gardens, borders, specimen plants and as ground cover. This plant tolerates flooding and will grow in wet submerged soils.
Royal Fern The broad fronds have large, well-separated pinnae (leaflets) which give this fern an almost pea-family appearance. Fronds typically turn yellow to brown in autumn. The Royal Fern is also known as the Flowering Fern and is deciduous. Spores are located in brown, tassel-like, fertile clusters at the tips of the fronds, thus giving rise to the additional common name of flowering fern for this plant. The Royal Fern is an excellent selection for wet areas along ponds, streams, water gardens or in bogs. It also grows well in shaded borders, woodland gardens, wild gardens or native plant gardens.
