Most Common Fern
A native of the Eastern part of North America, Christmas fern can be found in wooded areas and streambanks. It enjoys a slightly shady habitat, and while the Christmas fern can grow in colonies, it can also be found singly. The common name of the Christmas fern is due to the fact that the evergreen fronds are often still green at Christmas time.
Male fern thrives in part to full shade, which makes it a nice choice for understandings, or areas that don’t get enough sun for other plants to thrive. This graceful plant grows in clumps, will return year after year, and is resistant to rabbits.
Japanese painted fern (Anisocampium niponicum) is a deciduous, clumping native to eastern Asia. Used in shade gardens and appreciated for its ornamental foliage, this fern is also considered deer-resistant and can be used as a ground cover or container plant. Requires full to partial shade.
Black spleenwort (Asplenium adiantum-nigrum) has a delicate texture but is actually an incredibly rugged little fern! It grows best in rocky, shady spots. It can be found across the globe and can thrive where other ferns would otherwise wilt, such as along lava flows and on the cinder cones of volcanoes.
Squirrel’s-foot fern is generally found in China and Japan. Like its relatives, the Squirrel’s-foot fern grows out of fuzzy rhizomes that resemble animal’s feet, giving the plant its common name. These ferns can be grown indoors as houseplants.
Button fern (Pellaea rotundifolia) is a fern species that are native to New Zealand. Button fern commonly grows in forests and is also often cultivated in gardens. This species grows best in acidic, well-drained soil.
Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) is an evergreen fern whose new fronds emerge as reddish-orange in spring, providing a colorful contrast against the dark green mature fronds. It prefers partial shade to full shade. Grows best in moist to wet, organically-rich soil.
Cutleaf grapefern (Sceptridium dissectum) is a perennial evergreen fern that consists of one sterile leaf and one fertile leaf. The leaves are joined together at the base of the plant. Grows in partial sun to medium shade and moist to dry soil conditions. It is commonly found growing in deciduous forests, living in the decay of the fallen leaves.
Prized among collectors because of its beauty and rarity, the Silver-dollar maidenhair fern is endemic to Peru’s Amazonian basin. The fern has large, flat pinnules, black stems and its fronds can reach over two feet in length. Its generously-sized leaves emerge round with a pink blush before maturing to green.
Japanese bird’s-nest fern (Asplenium antiquum) is a decorative fern that will grow from 2 to 3 feet tall in optimum growing conditions. It prefers shade to filtered sun and should be grown indoors or in a covered patio area. A humidity-loving plant, it prefers moist but not wet soil. Native to Asia, it is commonly found growing on tree trunks.
Although it is like larger tree ferns in that its fronds sprout from a trunk, Oceaniopteris gibba only grows up to 6 ft tall. Because of its relatively small size and the fact that it only grows well in tropical conditions, it is often favored as an ornamental plant in greenhouses around the world.
Dichotomy forked fern (Dicranopteris pedata) is a fern with creeping rhizomes that can be found in East Asia. It grows on hillsides and mountainous slopes. It is used for a variety of purposes. Dichotomy forked fern has been used to stabilize the soil on hillsides near Hong Kong, while other communities view it as a weed.
Japenese beard fern (Lemmaphyllum microphyllum) is a type of small fern also known as green penny fern. It is native to southern and eastern Asia, from India to Japan. It can grow direct from well-drained soil, but is also commonly found on the surface of trees and rocks. Japenese beard fern may not grow average-looking fern fronds, but it’s still popular as a potted plant.
Carrot fern (Onychium japonicum) is a deciduous, perennial fern that gets its common name from its lovely feathery fronds, which look like the foliage on a carrot. It thrives in shade and does well under trees and in a shade garden. It prefers moist, well-drained soil. If planted outdoors, use mulch to protect the roots in winter.
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum subsp. cinnamomeum is a fern species that inhabits bogs, swamps, and moist woodlands of eastern Asia and the Americas. The fertile spore-bearing fronds become cinnamon-colored as they mature. This plant is also known for forming large clonal colonies in suitable habitats such as swamps.