Lady Fern

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina): A Lacy Native Fern for Shade Gardens

Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina) is a native deciduous fern with lacy, bright green fronds that grows 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. Lady fern is hardy in USDA zones 4–8 and grows best in part to full shade with moist, rich soil. TN Nursery ships bare-root lady ferns, Buy 1 Get 1 Free.

Lady fern belongs to the lady fern family, Athyriaceae, and grows wild in moist forests across North America, Europe and Asia. In the eastern United States, including the wooded coves and stream banks of Tennessee, the native forms are known as northern lady fern and southern lady fern. Gardeners also call it common lady fern. The name refers to the graceful, feminine look of the finely cut fronds compared with the coarser male fern.

Each frond is twice-divided into many small, toothed leaflets that give the plant a soft, feathery texture. The fronds rise from a central crown in an upright, vase-shaped clump and taper at both ends, and the stems range from green to wine-red. New fiddleheads unroll in April, the fronds stay fresh green through summer, and in fall they turn soft gold before the plant goes dormant for winter.

• Botanical name: Athyrium filix-femina, lady fern family (Athyriaceae)
• Also called: common lady fern, northern lady fern, southern lady fern
• Foliage: lacy, twice-cut fronds 1–3 ft long; green to red stems; gold fall color
• Size: 1–3 ft tall, 1–2 ft wide per clump
• Best uses: woodland gardens, shade borders, north-side foundation beds, pond and stream edges, rain gardens and mass plantings under trees
• Wildlife value: cool, sheltered cover for toads, salamanders and ground-nesting birds; rarely browsed by deer or rabbits
• What ships: bare-root ferns in Buy 1 Get 1 Free, Buy 3 Get 2 Free, Buy 5 Get 3 Free and 25-plant wholesale bundles

How Big Does Lady Fern Get?

Lady fern grows 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. Lady ferns in rich, moist soil and steady shade reach the upper end of that range, with fronds up to 3 feet long.

Lady fern grows from a compact crown and spreads slowly by short rhizomes, forming a full, rounded clump that widens a little each year. Planted 18 to 24 inches apart, a group of lady ferns knits into a continuous sweep of green within 2 to 3 seasons. A Buy 5 Get 3 Free pack of 8 ferns fills a bed about 6 by 4 feet.

Does Lady Fern Like Sun or Shade?

Lady fern grows best in part shade to full shade, such as the dappled light under deciduous trees or the north and east sides of a house. Lady fern also handles morning sun when the soil stays evenly moist.

Lady fern prefers moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 5.5 to 7.0. A layer of shredded leaves or compost each spring copies the forest floor and keeps the roots cool and damp. Water weekly during the first summer and during dry spells after that. Lady fern is one of the easiest native ferns to grow and fills shady spots where lawn grass thins out.

What Is the Difference Between Lady Fern, Ostrich Fern and Christmas Fern?

Lady fern has the finest, laciest texture of the three, at 1 to 3 feet tall. Ostrich fern is taller, at 3 to 6 feet, and Christmas fern is a lower evergreen fern, at 1 to 2 feet.

Many shade gardeners plant all three together: ostrich fern for height in back, lady fern for soft texture in the middle, and Christmas fern for winter green in front.

What Grows Well With Lady Fern?

Other shade-loving natives grow well with lady fern. Maidenhair fern and cinnamon fern add contrasting frond shapes, while spring wildflowers bring color before the fronds fully open. Try Virginia bluebells, white trillium and foamflower between the clumps for a classic woodland garden. Browse more choices in our ferns and shade perennials collections.

How Do You Plant Bare-Root Lady Ferns?

Plant bare-root lady ferns with the crown at soil level and the roots spread 3 to 4 inches deep, spacing ferns 18 to 24 inches apart. Plant in fall, late winter or early spring while the ferns are dormant.

TN Nursery digs lady ferns as dormant crowns with a full mass of fibrous roots and ships them bare root, with no pot or soil. The fronds appear from the crown in spring after planting.

1. Soak the roots in water for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Mix 2 to 3 inches of compost or leaf mold into the planting area.
3. Dig a hole wide enough to spread the roots flat.
4. Set the crown even with the soil surface and firm the soil around it.
5. Water well and cover the soil with 2 inches of shredded leaves.

Planting & Growing Information

Botanical Name: Athyrium filix-femina
Plant Family: Athyriaceae (lady fern family)
Ships: Bare root
Planting Zone: 4–8
Height at Maturity: 1–3 feet
Spread: 1–2 feet
Spacing: 18–24 inches
Sun or Shade: Part shade to full shade; morning sun with moist soil
Water Needs: Moderate to high; keep soil evenly moist
Soil: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained, pH 5.5–7.0
Foliage Season: Fiddleheads in April; green fronds spring to fall; gold in autumn
Origin: North America, Europe and Asia
Care: Leave fall fronds in place over winter as natural mulch, then trim them at the base in early spring before new fiddleheads unroll.
Plant Attributes: Native, shade loving, deer resistant, fine texture, good for moist soil and rain gardens

Lady Fern FAQ

How tall does lady fern grow?

Lady fern grows 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide.

Is lady fern evergreen?

No. Lady fern is deciduous: the fronds turn gold in fall, rest over winter and return as fresh fiddleheads every spring.

What zones does lady fern grow in?

Lady fern grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8.

Can lady fern grow in sun?

Lady fern grows in morning sun when the soil stays consistently moist, and grows best in part to full shade.

Is lady fern deer resistant?

Yes. Deer and rabbits rarely browse lady fern.

How far apart should you plant lady ferns?

Plant lady ferns 18 to 24 inches apart for a full, continuous planting in 2 to 3 growing seasons.

Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery

TN Nursery has grown hardy native plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow lady ferns for shade gardens across the country and ship them bare root while dormant. Each order is dug and packed fresh so the crowns settle in fast and send up new fronds in spring. For more fern tips, read The Ultimate Guide to Growing Lady Ferns, Tips on How to Grow Lady Ferns and Why Native Ferns Grow Best in Your Garden on our garden blog.