General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Fern
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences: Wet
Wet Mesic
Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 2 -45.6 °C (-50 °F) to -42.8 °C (-45°F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 10b
Plant Height: 2-3 feet
Plant Spread: 12-18 inches
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Deciduous
Underground structures: Rhizome
Uses: Groundcover
Cut Flower
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Propagation: Other methods: Crowns
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • Wood Fern
  • Shield fern
  • Narrow Buckler Fern
  • Spinulose Woodfern

Photo Gallery
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Date: 2012-06-02
lots of dark sori under leaflets
Location: My garden.
Date: 2011-10-14
Location: Veluwe
Date: 2021-07-29
Location: Jenkins Arboretum in Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Date: 2012-06-10
group in shady naturalisitc landscape
Location: Jenkins Arboretum in Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Date: 2016-10-23
plants along a walkway
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Date: 2012-06-02
planted at church bldg foundation
Location: Jenkins Arboretum in Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Date: 2016-10-23
foliage, fronds
Location: My garden.
Date: 2011-10-14
Location: My garden.
Date: 2011-10-14

Courtesy Crownsville Nursery
  • Uploaded by vic
Comments:
  • Posted by mcash70 (Near Kamloops, BC, Canada - Zone 3a) on Oct 24, 2011 1:28 PM concerning plant:
    I planted three Wood Ferns in my zone 3a garden a few years ago, they have been slow growing as they are not in an ideal location. They are very attractive plants and would make a good ground cover in very shady areas in the garden, they are easy care and can adapt well to moist or even wet soil. The fronds are beautiful when added as greenery to cut flower bouquets.

    I read on another site that it is considered a threatened species in the states of "Arkansas and Tennessee, and is listed as exploitably vulnerable in the state of New York".
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Sep 26, 2018 2:28 PM concerning plant:
    This species ranges over the whole Northern Hemisphere. It grows about 2 to 3 feet high and has soft, thin, lacy, finely toothed, bipinnate (twice divided) fronds. It bears lots of dark rounded sori (spore-producing spots) under the leaflets. The fronds fall down in late fall. This species does spread some to a medium amount by its rhizomes. It is occasionally sold by some larger, diverse nurseries and native plant nurseries. it is a handsome species.

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page