The 10 Most Hardy Native Ferns to Plant in Your Garden

Lady Fern

Lady Fern  Lady fern, known as Athyrium filix-femina, are natural perennials that can reach a height of five feet. Their large, lacy leaves are a brilliant green, each growing as wide as a foot. The leaves are a verdant green as the summer progresses, but they turn a golden yellow as winter approaches.  The stems of the fronds might be green, purple, or red. As the temperature decreases in the autumn, the leaves fall off; they always grow back in the spring. As they spread out from a core base, a cluster of these plants will form around an original fern. They are more tolerant of dry soils than other ferns and can even handle partial sunshine in damp soil.  Soil Enrichment The rhizome root systems of these plants play a significant role in soil stabilization. You can use the fronds that fall from these ferns as mulch. These plants also enhance soil erosion prevention through their dense plant cover and unique slope adaptation.  Wildlife Habitats Because of their fibrous root systems and thick, verdant foliage, these ferns are great for creating homes for animals in their native environments. Many small animals, like beetles and spiders, find cover and a place to lay their eggs among the complex fronds while the plant protects them from danger. Birds and other animals, including some amphibians and reptiles, feed on the plant's decaying matter, fungi, and other organic material in the soil and leaf litter for sustenance.  Garden Borders With Lady Ferns The Lady fern has been around for a long time in American woods, but it's recently become a popular landscaping plant. It works excellently as a garden border, which helps keep certain animals away. With its somewhat tall stature, these ferns are also perfect for layering borders in the garden. When planted toward the front or center of the border, respectively, they provide a lovely low-front or mid-height addition.

Bracken Fern

Bracken Fern - Pteridium Bracken Fern, or Pteridium aquilinum, is a captivating and ubiquitous fern species that thrives in a wide range of habitats across the globe. This perennial plant, which belongs to the Dennstaedtiaceae family, is a prime example of nature's adaptability and resilience.; Bracken Fern's Stems Brown stems covered with silvery gray hair are characteristic of them. Their typical flowering time is in early spring. Their compound leaves are twice as numerous as their triangular leaves. These leaves can be two to four feet long and up to three feet wide. An intricate whorl of three leaves forms at the very base of the stem. Spores grow on the leaves ' underside, starting in the middle to the end of June and continuing into late summer. The fronds will grow again after the first heavy frost in the spring. By the end of summer, the fronds begin to change color, going from brown to a beautiful copper or gold that complements any vivid fall foliage. Bracken Ferns Are A Great Choice For Woodland Gardens The thick canopies they create keep the soil wet, making a humid microclimate home to many plants and animals. They are also essential to the habitat's biodiversity since they provide food for some animals, like rabbits. They are perfect for building nests because they have many fibrous fronds, which many birds and small animals use. Create Beautiful Edges and Borders  It provides a gentle and realistic border that goes well with garden settings. They are great for adding winter beauty to garden borders because of their evergreen leaves. They are a good option for garden borders in regions prone to deer since they are usually resistant to deer grazing. By decomposing leaf litter, Bracken Fern improves soil structure, increases microbial activity, and supplies organic matter to the soil, making it healthier. The fibrous roots of these plants improve drainage and lessen soil compaction by aerating the soil. They also help with nutrient cycling by absorbing and releasing nutrients, stabilizing soil, and preventing erosion.  It may be considered one of the most ancient species of plants, as it has been existing since at least 55 million years ago. It grows well in a number of climates and enjoys the ability to reproduce rapidly through rhizomes.   What is it fern Good For  They have an extensive root system that helps stabilize the soil, thus preventing soil erosion. In some parts, the plant is used as animal bedding. Bracken ferns cannot be propagated through cuttings. They either reproduce by spores or spread through their rhizomes. They germinate quickly, and within a few weeks of the growing season, the plants can reach heights of 2 to 4 feet. Their underground rhizomes also spread aggressively.

Cinnamon Fern

Cinnamon Fern - Osmundastrum Cinnamomeum The Cinnamon Fern is a large deciduous plant characterized by its distinctive, brown-colored fertile fronds standing upright in the center. It is captivating and versatile and has numerous landscaping benefits. This plant, native to eastern North America, has become famous for gardeners and landscapers due to its aesthetic appeal, adaptability, and environmental contributions. It grows to a height of 6 feet and spreads about 4 feet on its black stalks. The unfurled pinnae are Kelly green on top, while the fronds in the center of the plant, which give it its name, are dark brown and resemble sticks of cinnamon because they grow straight up. Early in the spring, the central fronds that turn brown later start life as silver-colored fiddleheads. They're covered in fur, too, charmingly "shaking off the cold of winter." The broad fronds on the stalks form a cute rosette around the central stalks. The silver fiddleheads match well with Fescue or Brunner. Those fiddleheads appear early in the year when the top of the plant is clumped together in a cute bundle. As the Cinnamon Fern Opens When the fiddleheads are ready to open, their silver hair turns brown and clings to the base of the pinnae as they expand to their full glory. The large, broad pinnae on 3-foot fronds is the sterile variety. In the center of the plant, the brown-colored fronds with much smaller pinnae are the fertile fronds. The plant's attractiveness comes from the contrast between the two frond types. Secondarily, the contrast between the expanded fronds and any nearby silver flowers they used to match is equally striking. When it comes to the sterile fronds, they can hold almost two dozen pinnae that taper gently in size from large to small, creating a shape that nearly resembles a palm frond made up of pinnae. The Sporangia Of The Cinnamon Fern This plant doesn't have sori. Instead, it has sporangia that surround the stalk of the fertile frond. These turn brown as they open and give the plant its name. Up close, they're made up of tiny dots that wrap around the stalk in delicate, beautiful shapes. From the time the plants peek through until the fiddleheads unfurl, it is about a week during the spring. During this time, you can see the shape of the pinnae and fronds develop and become full members of the garden for that year. It makes an attractive, striking, and attention-grabbing entry in any garden, and because they're perennial, they'll be back every year to be a lovely garden anchor.  They grow best in damp conditions, particularly in woodlands or along water courses. They do well in soil that is rich in nutrients and which has good drainage.  They are moderately fast growers and will reach their full size in the first to the second year of growth. If the growing conditions are conducive, then they can grow up to 4 feet and as broad as 4 feet.  Indeed, it is split by producing both spores and through forming a system of subterranean stems called rhizomes.  They like soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH of between 5.5 and 7.0. The ferns may require other amendments placed into the soil, such as adding organic matter like a bag of leaf compost.  Cinnamon ferns are native to moist habitats, and the soil should be kept moist at all times, more so during the hot season. They prefer consistent watering, but if they are overwatered, they can experience root rot that can be deadly to the plant.

Christmas Fern

Christmas Ferns- Polystichum Acrostichoides  Christmas ferns are a beautiful addition to shaded or woodland garden spaces, allowing you to decorate every inch of your plot with something green. Growing between 1.5 and 2 feet tall, these small plants are the ultimate addition to an idyllic landscaping project, providing a bright cover for bare soil in awkward locations. Christmas Ferns are low-maintenance They grow in moist but well-drained soils (because of their forest-dwelling ancestry). This feature of their biology makes them ideal for tough spots where other plants won't thrive, including many hardy species. Ferns grow well even with minimal maintenance (reducing how much time you have to spend working on them) and thrive in areas with partial or indirect sunlight, like the back of a shed or next to retaining walls. Polystichum acrostichoides Plant Aesthetics They grow from their rhizomes, small dense tuber-type organs that provide the energy for the plant to form. Spores spread across a given area to provide more coverage over time. Since they are evergreen, they are a welcome addition to your garden by other species, including birds and mammals looking for shade.  This ability to remain vibrant year-round is why they have a festive name; it comes from their ability to survive low light conditions and cold weather that dominate the winter months. Most people place these plants in shady corners and damp areas. However, they are also handy for woodland gardens or forested parts you want to develop and make more visually appealing. Reasons to Use This Fern in Landscaping A hardy plant that grows in challenging conditions, including the cold, dark winter months Maintains its green color throughout the year, maintaining the garden's vibrancy Suitable for use on bare soil or in woodland areas Grows to between 1.5 and 2 feet tall (or slightly more under ideal conditions Requires cool, moist, well-maintained soil They are a beautiful addition to shaded or woodland garden spaces, allowing you to decorate every inch of your plot with something green. Growing between 1.5 and 2 feet tall, these small plants are the ultimate addition to an idyllic landscaping project, providing a bright cover for bare soil in awkward locations. Growth and Habitat These ferns grow in moist but well-drained soils (because of their forest-dwelling ancestry). This feature of their biology makes them ideal for tough spots where other plants won't thrive, including many hardy species. Ferns grow well even with minimal maintenance (reducing how much time you have to spend working on them) and thrive in areas with partial or indirect sunlight, like the back of a shed or next to retaining walls. General Aesthetics of These Native Ferns Ferns grow from their rhizomes, small dense tuber-type organs that provide the energy for the plant to form. Spores spread across a given area to provide more coverage over time. These evergreen plants are a welcome addition to your garden by other species, including birds and mammals looking for shade. This ability to remain vibrant year-round is why they have a festive name; it comes from their ability to survive low light conditions and cold weather that dominate the winter months. Most people plant in shady corners and damp areas. However, they are also handy for woodland gardens or forested parts you want to develop and make more visually appealing. Discover shade perennials, a leading landscaping plant for year-round greenery and gardeners interested in low-maintenance options. Hardy, Pest and Disease Resistant Christmas Fern is a hardy plant that grows in challenging conditions, including the cold, dark winter months. Maintains its green color throughout the year, maintaining the garden's vibrancy. Suitable for use on bare soil or in woodland areas. Grows to between 1.5 and 2 feet tall (or slightly more under ideal conditions Requires cool, moist, well-maintained soil