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Christmas Fern
The Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, occurs in both dry and moist wooded slopes, moist banks and ravines. It typically grows in a fountain-like clump to 2' tall and features leathery, lance-shaped, evergreen (green at Christmas time as the common name suggests) fronds. Stocking shape of the pinnae also suggests Christmas. Crosiers (young fiddleheads) in spring are silvery and scaled. Sori appear on the undersides of the pinnae only at the ends (last 1/3) of the fronds. Christmas ferns are asymmetrical with a fine texture and has a moderately dense crown. The evergreen fronds provide good winter interest for the landscape. This fern does not spread but the clumps increase in size over time. These plants serve as hosts for butterfly larvae. ... more info
Sensitive Fern The Sensitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis, is a large, somewhat coarse deciduous fern which occurs in wet woods and thickets and in moist soils along streams and springs. Sensitive Ferns can grow up to 4' tall. It features long-stalked, deeply pinnatifid, bright green, vegetative (sterile) fronds (2-4' long) with leathery, triangular leaflets (pinnae) which have distinctively netted veins. Some shorter, erect, woody-like fertile fronds (to 12" tall), typically brown up in late summer and persist throughout the remaining season and winter. It performs best in wet woodland gardens and moist locations along streams and ponds. Also appropriate for shaded areas of a native plant garden or naturalized planting. The foliage may depreciate as summer progresses in hot climates, particularly if soils are not kept moist. It is best not to remove dead fronds until spring, because they provide protection for the crowns over the winter. |
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