Autumn Shield Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Fern
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Soil pH Preferences:	Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5) Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone:	Zone 9b
Plant Height:	18 - 24 inches
Plant Spread:	18 - 30 inches
Leaves:	Good fall color Unusual foliage color
Underground structures:	Rhizome
Uses:	Groundcover
Resistances:	Deer Resistant Rabbit Resistant Drought tolerant
Propagation: Other methods:	Other: Rhizomes
Pollinators:	Wind
Containers:	Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Needs excellent drainage in pots
Awards and Recognitions:	Other: 2001 Georgia Gold Medal Winner; 2004 Great Plant Picks Award Winner

Common names

Autumn Shield Fern
Japanese Shield Fern

Botanical names

Accepted: Dryopteris erythrosora
Synonym: Dryopteris nipponensis

Photo Gallery

Uploaded by Hamwild

Uploaded by kniphofia

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-07-01

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: RHS Harlow Carr gardens, Yorkshire, England UK
Date: 2019-11-10
Dryopteris erythrosora

Uploaded by Galanthophile

Uploaded by Hamwild

Location: an Oklahoma City garden
Date: 2024-04-01
A delightfully easy fern to grow... it reaches 2-3 across and 2 f

Uploaded by jathton

Location: My Mom’s garden
Date: 2019-04-30

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2008-05-15
unfolding new frond..

Uploaded by bonitin

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-01-05
textured evergreen in the winter garden

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Pinehurst, NC
Date: October 21, 2022
Japanese Shield Fern #125 nn; LHB p. 89, 6-23-?, "Greek For 'oak

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: Fairfax, VA | October 2022
Date: 2022-09-29

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-04-12

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: Sandhills Horticultural Gardens Southern Pines, NC
Date: October 21, 2022
Japanese Shield Fern #125 nn; LHB p. 89, 6-23-?, "Greek For 'oak

Uploaded by WebTucker

Location: RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire, UK
Date: 2019-06-30

Uploaded by kniphofia

Location: Fairfax, VA | September, 2023
Date: 2023-08-26

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by Joy

Location: off my front porch
Date: 04-17-2021
Dryopteris erythrosora [Autumn Fern]

Uploaded by jathton

Uploaded by Hamwild

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Cedarhome, Washington
Date: 2010-06-27

Uploaded by Bonehead

Uploaded by TexasPlumeria87

Uploaded by springcolor

Location: Beautiful Tennessee
Date: May 2, 2015
spring color

Uploaded by chickhill

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: National Botanical Garden, DC, Virginia :) | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-28

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by MaryDurtschi

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Temple, Texas
Date: 2021-05-02
Under shade of oak and elm trees behind this fence along neighbor

Uploaded by Peggy8b

Uploaded by Plantomaniac08

Location: Osaka Prefectural Flower Garden, Osaka, Japan.
Date: June 21, 2009
Photo by KENPEI

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by vic

Location: Enterprise, Al. 36330
Date: 2014-04-17

Uploaded by Seedfork

Uploaded by Hamwild

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2009-06-10
Young fronds are Autumn coloured..

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Enterprise, Al. 36330
Date: 2014-03-31
Spores on back of Autumn fern

Uploaded by Seedfork

Location: Enterprise, Al. 36330
Date: 2014-03-31
Fiddle Heads of Autumn Fern

Uploaded by Seedfork

Uploaded by Seedfork

Location: Ray Wiegand's Nursery, Macomb, MI
Date: 2010-09-09

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Pembroke, GA
Date: 2014-01-23
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with Permission.

Uploaded by Lalambchop1

Location: Shade garden Z6a
Date: 2009-06-20

Uploaded by ge1836

Location: Jenkins Arboretum in Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Date: 2022-05-22
several plants in coppery foliage color along a border

Uploaded by ILPARW

Location: Jenkins Arboretum in Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Date: 2022-05-22
some plants along a walkway in coppery color

Uploaded by ILPARW

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by Paul2032

Location: At a nursery.
Date: 2011-10-09

Uploaded by chelle

Uploaded by Yorkshirelass

Uploaded by Hamwild

Location: Sunriver Nursery, Orem, Utah
Date: 2011-11-26

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by Seedfork

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by admin

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2007-06-09

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: my garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2007-06-05

Uploaded by bonitin

Location: Enterprise, Al. 36330
Date: 2014-03-31

Uploaded by Seedfork

Location: Growing wild in Tennessee
Date: 2005-09-08

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Location: Shade garden Z6a
Date: 2009-06-24
Great in early morning light

Uploaded by ge1836

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by Paul2032

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Dec 7, 2011 2:08 PM concerning plant:

Very durable; tolerant of poorer conditions and dry periods. Nice in a hanging basket.

Reply to this comment
Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on May 24, 2022 7:14 AM concerning plant:

This species is also called the Japanese Woodland Fern. It is native to eastern Asia from Japan, Korea, and China down into the Philippines & Taiwan. Its outstanding trait is that the new foliage in spring is of coppery color. The lower portion of the rachis (frond stalk) is covered with papery brown scales. It bears the round sori (spore structures) under the leaves, located nearer the midrib than the leaf margin. This species can tolerate drought and full sun. It is offered by a good number of conventional nurseries. It has escaped cultivation in some areas, as in some counties in Alabama.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
Seedfork	On April 11, 2012	Obtained plant Buds and Blossoms, Dothan, Al.
WebTucker	On October 20, 2022	Obtained plant

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Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
the four season fern named "autumn" by jathton	Apr 17, 2021 5:38 PM	0

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Dryopteris Autumn Shield Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)

Dryopteris
Autumn Shield Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)