Mother Fern (Asplenium viviparum): Fern That Grows Baby Plantlets on Its Fronds

Overview Mother fern (Asplenium viviparum) is a remarkable, evergreen fern native to Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. Its **pinnate fronds produce live plantlets (bulbils) along the rachis and pinnae**—tiny, com

'Lady in Red' Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina): Red-Stemmed Cultivar for Colorful Shade

Overview Lady in Red (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum Lady in Red) is a spectacular cultivar of the northern lady fern selected for its **vivid burgundy-red stipes (stems) and rachises** that contrast dramaticall

Lace Fern / Palapalai (Microlepia strigosa): Soft, Lacy Hawaiian Native for Lei Making

Overview Lace fern (Microlepia strigosa), known as palapalai in Hawaiian, is a beautiful, terrestrial fern native to Hawaii and tropical Pacific islands. Its **tripinnate, exceptionally lacy fronds** (2–4 feet) are s

Upside-Down Fern (Arachniodes standishii): Fronds That Appear Inverted

Overview Upside-down fern (Arachniodes standishii) is a curious, evergreen fern native to Japan and Korea. Its **pinnate fronds appear inverted**—the pinnae are attached to the rachis by their *tips* rather than their

Wheki / Rough Tree Fern (Dicksonia squarrosa): Fast-Growing, Clumping New Zealand Tree Fern

Overview Wheki (Dicksonia squarrosa), also called rough tree fern or harsh tree fern, is a distinctive New Zealand tree fern known for its **fast growth, clumping habit, and retention of dead fronds** as a brown skir

'Albolineata' Cretan Brake Fern (Pteris cretica): Variegated Table Fern for Bright Shade

Overview Albolineata (Pteris cretica Albolineata, also Albo-lineata) is a popular variegated cultivar of the Cretan brake fern (also called table fern or birds foot fern). Its **pinnate fronds** (12–18 inches) featur

Walking Fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum): Unique Fern That "Walks" Across Rocks

Overview Walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum) is a remarkable, evergreen fern native to eastern North America. Its **simple, undivided, heart-shaped to lanceolate fronds** (2–12 inches) taper to a long, slender tip th

Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron): Petite, Evergreen Fern for Rocky Shade

Overview Ebony spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) is a small, evergreen fern native to eastern North America and South Africa. Its **slender, wiry, dark brown to black stipes (stems)** give rise to narrow, once-pinna

Red Dwarf Tree Fern (Blechnum brasiliense): Compact Tree Fern with Red New Growth

Overview Red dwarf tree fern (Blechnum brasiliense), also called red Brazilian tree fern, is a compact, trunk-forming tree fern native to Brazil and neighboring South American countries. It develops a slender trunk 3

Tennessee Ostrich Fern / Glade Fern (Diplazium pycnocarpon): Narrow, Elegant Fern for Rich Woods

Overview Tennessee ostrich fern (Diplazium pycnocarpon), also called glade fern or narrow-leaved spleenwort, is a graceful, deciduous fern native to rich, moist woodlands of eastern North America. Its **narrow, once-

Crocodile Fern (Microsorum musifolium): Dramatic, Reptilian-Textured Fronds

Overview Crocodile fern (Microsorum musifolium), also called Crocodylus fern, is a striking epiphytic fern native to Southeast Asia and Australia. Its broad, undivided, **leathery fronds** (12–24 inches) feature a pr

'Burgundy Lace' Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum): Deeply Colored Cultivar

Overview Burgundy Lace (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Burgundy Lace, PP15072) is a patented cultivar of the Japanese painted fern, hybridized by Steve Heims and introduced in 2004. It intensifies the species signatu

Hard Fern / Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant): Glossy, Dimorphic Fern for Cool, Moist Shade

Overview Hard fern (Blechnum spicant), also called deer fern or ladder fern, is a compact, evergreen fern native to cool, moist regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It exhibits **strong frond dimorphism**: sterile fro

Tongue Fern (Pyrrosia lingua): Leathery, Strap-Shaped Epiphyte for Mounts

Overview Tongue fern (Pyrrosia lingua), also called Japanese felt fern or Shi Wei, is an epiphytic fern native to East Asia. Its simple, undivided, **strap-shaped fronds** (6–12 inches) are thick, leathery, and cover

Whisk Fern (Psilotum nudum): Primitive, Leafless Living Fossil

Overview Whisk fern (Psilotum nudum), also called skeleton fork fern or moa, is a **primitive, leafless vascular plant**—one of the simplest living fern allies. It lacks true roots and leaves; instead, photosynthetic

'Silver Lady' Dwarf Tree Fern (Blechnum gibbum): Compact, Silvery Fronds for Pots

Overview Silver Lady (Blechnum gibbum Silver Lady) is the premier cultivar of the dwarf tree fern, selected for its especially pronounced **silvery-white new fronds** that mature to deep green. It forms a slender, sc

Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum): Iconic Evergreen Fern of the Pacific Northwest

Overview Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum) is the signature evergreen fern of Pacific Northwest forests. Its stiff, upright, once-pinnate fronds (2–4 feet) form a striking, shuttlecock-shaped clump that persis

Eastern Hay-Scented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula): Fragrant, Colonizing Fern for Naturalized Areas

Overview Eastern hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) is a delicate, deciduous fern native to eastern North America. Its finely cut, light green, bipinnate fronds (1–2 feet) release a sweet, **fresh-mown hay

Southern Shield Fern (Thelypteris kunthii): Tough, Deciduous Fern for Southern Gardens

Overview Southern shield fern (Thelypteris kunthii), also called southern wood fern or river fern, is a robust, deciduous fern native to the southeastern U.S., Caribbean, and Central America. Its light green, pinnate

Rough Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum hispidulum): Rosy New Growth for Texture and Color

Overview Rough maidenhair fern (Adiantum hispidulum), also called rosy maidenhair, is a distinctive species native to Africa, Australia, and Pacific islands. Its emerging fronds unfurl in striking shades of **rosy pi