Plants in genus dryopteris
Dryopteris namegatae
Dryopteris namegatae is a Japanese fern with a sturdy, evergreen clump of dark green arching foliage. It is possibly a hybrid between Dryopteris atrata and Dryopteris dickinsii, making it a unique addition to shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris erythrosora
Dryopteris erythrosora, commonly known as the autumn fern, is a perennial fern native to East Asia. It features fronds that emerge copper-red and mature to a deep green, creating a striking visual contrast. This fern grows up to 2 feet tall and wide, thriving in part to full shade with moist, rich, well-drained soil. It is drought-tolerant once established and resistant to pests and diseases, making it a low-maintenance choice for garden borders and ground cover. Its feathery, arching fronds add texture and interest to shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris fructuosa
Dryopteris fructuosa is a high-elevation fern from the Himalayas, forming a 2-foot tall upright clump. This plant thrives in shaded areas and is well-suited for gardens that mimic its native mountainous environment.
Dryopteris carthusiana
Dryopteris carthusiana, commonly known as narrow buckler-fern or spinulose woodfern, is a sub-evergreen plant native to damp forests in the Holarctic Kingdom. It is a tetraploid of hybrid origin, distinguished by its fine-textured, arching fronds that form a deciduous clump. This fern is adaptable to various environments, thriving in swamps and moist woodlands globally. Its resilience and adaptability make it a popular choice for gardeners seeking a reliable and attractive fern for shaded areas.
Dryopteris nipponensis
Dryopteris nipponensis, a cousin of the autumn fern, is an evergreen fern that forms a 2-foot tall by 3-foot wide clump. It is known for its deer-resistant foliage, which is shorter and broader than that of Dryopteris erythrosora. In spring, new growth emerges with a red tint, adding seasonal interest to woodland gardens. This fern thrives in typical woodland conditions, making it a versatile choice for shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris villarii
Dryopteris villarii is a deciduous fern native to Central and Western Europe. It grows to about 10 inches tall with grey-green fronds emerging from creeping rhizomes. This fern prefers limestone but adapts well to various garden soils.
Dryopteris uniformis
Dryopteris uniformis is an Asian native fern that forms a medium-sized clump of erect dark evergreen fronds. It thrives in the mountainous woodlands of China, Japan, and Korea. This fern is well-suited for dry shade and can be a beautiful addition to shade gardens. Its evergreen nature provides year-round interest, and it is a great choice for xeriscaping. The plant's tidy growth habit makes it an excellent choice for woodland gardens or as a groundcover.
Dryopteris goldieana
Dryopteris goldieana, commonly known as Goldie's wood fern, is the largest native North American Dryopteris species. It features fronds that can reach up to 6 feet tall and thrives in moist, acidic woodland gardens. This drought-tolerant fern is commonly found in rich woods, ravines, and swamps, and is known for its thick-textured leaves and dark brown to black scales on the stipe.
Dryopteris wallichiana
Dryopteris wallichiana, commonly known as the alpine wood fern, is a semi-evergreen fern native to the Himalayas, Hawaii, Mexico, and Jamaica. It can grow up to 3 feet tall and wide, with pale green fronds and dark brown ribs. Named after botanist Nathaniel Wallich, this fern is prized for its beauty and has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It thrives in cool summer sites and is a stunning addition to shaded gardens.
Dryopteris crassirhizoma
Dryopteris crassirhizoma is a handsome fern with a vase-like shape, growing up to 3 feet tall and wide. Its fronds are narrowly divided and remain green throughout winter, giving it a semi-evergreen appearance. This fern is deer-resistant and has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is suitable for shade gardens and can thrive in both dry and wet conditions.
Dryopteris bissetiana
Dryopteris bissetiana is an evergreen clumping fern native to moist, wooded slopes in the Orient. It features triangular, dark green fronds with a beaded appearance, and new foliage emerges in June or July. This fern is similar to Dryopteris erythrosora but slightly smaller.
Dryopteris filix-mas
Dryopteris filix-mas, commonly known as the male fern, is a deciduous plant native to both the US and Europe. It forms a clump up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide, preferring cool, moist woodland sites. This fern is known for its resilience, being rabbit resistant and suitable for rain gardens. Historically, it has been used as a remedy for tapeworm issues, highlighting its medicinal value. It thrives in part sun to light shade, making it a versatile addition to shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris scottii
Dryopteris scottii is a fern native to China, known for its rounded lobes on light green evergreen fronds. It has a bold appearance, making it a striking addition to woodland gardens. This fern thrives in light shade to full shade and is suitable for rain gardens and xeriscaping. Its evergreen nature provides year-round interest in the garden.
Dryopteris campyloptera
Dryopteris campyloptera is a large American fern known for its lacy fronds and upright deciduous clump, reaching about 2 feet tall. It thrives in higher elevations and latitudes, particularly above 3800 feet in West Virginia and is part of the normal flora in northern New England. This tetraploid species is a fertile hybrid of Dryopteris intermedia and Dryopteris expansa, resembling the latter in appearance. Ideal for woodland gardens, it prefers slightly moist settings and can be a striking addition to shaded areas.
Dryopteris dilatata
Dryopteris dilatata is a fern that forms a 2-foot wide clump with heavily dissected fronds about 1 foot long. Its airy texture makes it a popular choice for shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris clintoniana
Dryopteris clintoniana is a fertile hybrid fern native to the northern hemisphere, resulting from a cross between Dryopteris cristata and Dryopteris goldieana. It forms a 3-foot tall clump of dark green evergreen foliage and thrives in slightly moist to average woodland garden conditions. This fern is a resilient addition to shade gardens.
Dryopteris ludoviciana
Dryopteris ludoviciana, native to the southern United States, is a semi-evergreen fern with shiny, leathery fronds. It grows tall and upright, reaching 30-48 inches, and thrives in moist areas, although it tolerates dry conditions. This fern is hardy in USDA zones 5-10 and is an excellent choice for adding architectural interest to gardens.
Dryopteris varia
Dryopteris varia is a semi-evergreen fern native to parts of Asia, including China and Japan. It features fronds that emerge with a bronze coloration and is slow-growing, thriving in evenly moist soil. This fern is easy to grow and adds a touch of elegance to shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris hondoensis
Dryopteris hondoensis is an evergreen fern native to the moist woodlands of Japan, known for its lacily cut foliage. It forms a vigorous 3-foot wide clump, with new growth displaying a striking red color. This fern's airy fronds add a textural element to woodland gardens. It is an apogamous triploid, meaning it can reproduce without fertilization, and is appreciated for its unique reproductive capabilities.
Dryopteris intermedia
Dryopteris intermedia, also known as the intermediate wood fern, is a perennial evergreen native to eastern North America. It features bipinnately compound fronds that grow in a spiral-like arrangement from an underground rhizome. This fern thrives in moist woodland locations and is known for its ability to hybridize with other wood ferns.
Dryopteris formosana
Dryopteris formosana is a fern native to China, Taiwan, and Japan, forming an 18-inch tall by 30-inch wide evergreen clump. It features airy-textured, deep green fronds that widen at the base with downward-turning pinnules.
Dryopteris cycadina
Dryopteris cycadina, also known as the shaggy shield fern, is a medium-sized, semi-evergreen fern native to northern India, China, Taiwan, and Japan. It features dark-green, heavily textured foliage with a distinctive black stipe, making it a striking addition to woodland gardens. This fern grows to about 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide, thriving in part sun to shade. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for its ornamental value.
Dryopteris decipiens
Dryopteris decipiens is an evergreen fern native to South Central China and Japan, known for its red-flushed new growth in spring. This winter-hardy plant is suitable for USDA zones 6a to 8b and thrives in light shade. It is a deer-resistant choice for gardens, providing year-round interest with its lush green foliage.
Dryopteris remota
Dryopteris remota is a semi-evergreen fern hybrid, ideal for woodland gardens with its lacy light green foliage and gold-scaled stipe. It is a cross between Dryopteris affinis and Dryopteris expansa, offering a clumping habit that is deer resistant and suitable for part sun to shade conditions.
Dryopteris stenolepis
Dryopteris stenolepis is an evergreen clumping fern native to regions including India, Nepal, southern China, and Taiwan. It grows to about 18 inches tall and 3 feet wide, thriving in light shade and well-drained soil. This fern is often found on streamside slopes at elevations between 2,000 and 7,000 feet, and its elegant appearance makes it a popular choice for shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris cambrensis
Dryopteris cambrensis is an evergreen fern, a triploid derivative of Dryopteris affinis, known for its tolerance to a range of garden soils from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. This fern is a robust choice for adding year-round greenery to shaded garden areas.
Dryopteris lepidopoda
Dryopteris lepidopoda is a fern from western China and Taiwan, known for its new fronds that emerge reddish-orange. It forms an evergreen clump about 2 feet tall and wide, with olive green foliage atop hairy black stipes.
Dryopteris championii
Dryopteris championii is a fern with dark green, glossy, arching fronds that can reach nearly 3 feet long. It is an evergreen plant with upright old fronds in winter and is deer-resistant. This vigorous clump-former is suitable for shaded areas and adds a lush, green presence to gardens.
Dryopteris celsa
Dryopteris celsa is a rare North American native fern, a hybrid between Dryopteris ludoviciana and Dryopteris goldiana. It has an upright and rotund growth habit with large, coarse, dark green, semi-evergreen fronds. This fern is tolerant of dry sites but prefers damp conditions, making it ideal for swamps and wet woodlands.
Dryopteris sacrosancta
Dryopteris sacrosancta is a slow-growing, triploid hardy fern native to the moist wooded slopes of China, Japan, and Korea. It forms a 2-foot tall, evergreen clump with glossy, triangular light green fronds. This deer-resistant plant thrives in part sun to shade and is suitable for USDA zones 7-8. Its resilience and ornamental appeal make it a popular choice for shade gardens and woodland landscapes.