Alphabetical Plant Listing

Dryopteris ludoviciana (Southern Wood Fern)

Florida Wood Fern, Southern Wood Fern, Louisiana Wood Fern


Great for swampy or wet areas of the garden, Dryopteris ludoviciana (Southern Wood Fern) is a semi-evergreen fern with a short erect or creeping rhizome and masses of lance-shaped, shiny, dark green fronds tapering to the base with triangular lower pinnae (divisions of the leaf). Tough as nails, this is a wonderful Dryopteris species for the muddy margins of ponds and bogs. Long-lived, it also does well in the dense shade where few other plants will grow. An excellent ground cover for Southeastern shade gardens with hot summers, high humidity, and heavy, saturated soils. Evergreen in frost-free areas.

  • Grows up to 2-4 ft. tall (60-120 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide (60-90 cm).
  • A part shade to full shade lover, it is best grown in rich, acidic, medium to wet soils.
  • Propagate by sowing spores as soon as ripe or by division in spring
  • Native to the southern United States from Florida west to Texas and as far north as Kentucky and North Carolina.

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Requirements

Hardiness 6 – 10
Plant Type Ferns
Plant Family Dryopteris - Ferns
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 2' – 4' (60cm – 120cm)
Spread 2' – 3' (60cm – 90cm)
Spacing 24" – 36" (60cm – 90cm)
Water Needs Average, High
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive
Characteristics Showy, Semi-Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Southwest, Texas
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Bog Gardens, Ground Covers, Ponds and Streams
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow

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By Erin Lindsay Munson, Shutterstock

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.


Requirements

Hardiness 6 – 10
Plant Type Ferns
Plant Family Dryopteris - Ferns
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 2' – 4' (60cm – 120cm)
Spread 2' – 3' (60cm – 90cm)
Spacing 24" – 36" (60cm – 90cm)
Water Needs Average, High
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive
Characteristics Showy, Semi-Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Southwest, Texas
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Bog Gardens, Ground Covers, Ponds and Streams
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow

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