Christmas Fern, Dagger Fern
Popular and easily maintained, Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) is a robust, clump-forming, evergreen fern forming a fountain of leathery, lance-shaped, rich dark green fronds adorned with small, holly-like pinnae. They remain lush and fresh-looking throughout the season. In spring, tightly coiled fiddleheads emerge silvery green from a slowly creeping rhizome. On mature plants, the first fronds that emerge in spring are generally fertile and are held stiffly upright. Sori appear on the undersides of the pinnae only on the upper third of the fertile frond. The fertile fronds are followed by shorter, sterile fronds, which tend to be more loosely arching in form. Gracing shaded gardens and woodlands, Christmas fern provides four seasons of interest. It is effective as a ground cover or as a companion to other shade-loving ferns, perennials, and wildflowers. Adaptable and dependable, it is not fussy about soil types and conditions, making it an accommodating and low-maintenance garden plant.
| Hardiness |
3 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
1 - 8 |
| Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Ferns |
| Plant Family | Dryopteridaceae |
| Genus | Polystichum |
| Common names | Christmas Fern, Fern |
| Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
| Season of Interest | Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter |
| Height | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
| Spread | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
| Spacing | 12" - 24" (30cm - 60cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen |
| Native Plants | United States, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, Northeast, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Full Shade, Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders, Ground Covers, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs |
| Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
| Hardiness |
3 - 8 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
1 - 8 |
| Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Ferns |
| Plant Family | Dryopteridaceae |
| Genus | Polystichum |
| Common names | Christmas Fern, Fern |
| Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
| Season of Interest | Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter |
| Height | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
| Spread | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
| Spacing | 12" - 24" (30cm - 60cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen |
| Native Plants | United States, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, Northeast, Indiana, Missouri, Michigan, Kansas, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma |
| Tolerance | Full Shade, Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders, Ground Covers, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs |
| Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |
How many Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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