How to Grow and Care for Beech ferns

Phegopteris connectilis, commonly known as long beechfern, is native to the forests of the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, Asia, and North America). This fern mostly grows on rocks and requires little maintenance. It can tolerate rabbits and deep shade.

Japanese beech fern boasts distinctive, triangular fronds that cascade in a downward fashion, reflecting its preference for the shaded, moist environments of forest undergrowth. The leaves uniquely merge at their bases—a character called 'decursive'—forming a continuous line along the stem. This fern's adaptability allows it to thrive in the dappled light, with fronds often unfurling to capture the sparest rays.

Broad beechfern, which is native to the eastern United States, prefers wet, rich, well-drained, acidic soils in partial to deep shade. It has a creeping rootstock that sends up individual fronds that cluster together. Because they are as wide as they are long, these fronds are remarkable.