Christmas fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
- Dryopteridaceae
- Fern
- Perennial
- Forb/herb
🦋 Wildlife value: supports pollinators and wildlife.
About Christmas fern
Christmas fern is a wonderful native plant that brings year-round greenery to your shade garden. This hardy fern stays green throughout winter, which is why it earned its cheerful name. Wildlife loves it too. Birds and small creatures find shelter among its lush fronds, and it provides food and cover that native insects need to thrive. It's truly a gift to your garden and the creatures who visit.
Growing Christmas fern is refreshingly simple. Plant it in a shady spot with moist soil, and it will happily settle in for years to come. It needs very little fussing once established. Water it during dry spells, and let the fallen leaves stay around your plants to mimic the forest floor. You'll find that this dependable native practically takes care of itself while looking beautiful season after season.
Native to 42 states
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin