Kimberly Queen Fern Winter Survival: Don't Give Up Too Soon

Q: My Kimberly Queen ferns died after an ice storm, but I see green grape-like things on the ground. Will they come back, or should I remove the dead parts?

Kimberly Queen fern (Nephrolepis obliterata) is related to Boston fern (N. exaltata 'Bostoniensis') and is not reliably winter-hardy in Atlanta. However, those green lumps are likely emerging fronds!

A similar case: a gardener's "dead" ferns regrew from those lumps. Another gardener nearly pruned a "dead" azalea that later bloomed beautifully. Lesson: "Just wait and see" is often the best garden advice.