There are few things more lush and soul-soothing than a stand of graceful ferns. These ancient plants, some of the absolute earliest inhabitants of North America, are also simple to grow, deer-resistant, and can add grace and interest to shady areas. Learn about the gorgeous native ferns native to North America that are easiest to grow in the garden and how to add them to your yard.
What are native U.S. ferns?
Long before front lawns, long before T-rexes, even long before every flowering plant existed(!)—there were ferns in North America. These ancient plants have been part of our world for millennia. From Maine to Alaska, from Florida to San Diego to Hawaii, there are ferns that are happy to live near you; they ask for little besides a patch of (usually shady) soil.
As stars of the shade, ferns can brighten up dark corners and add life beneath shade trees where little else can grow. They are wonderful groundcovers and stars of woodland gardens, but can also act like top-notch supporting actors in a garden—providing texture and interest, including in fall and winter.
As a bonus: Are you looking for native plants that deer don’t like? Almost all ferns are of little interest to deer.
New to native?
Before lawns and landscaping, native plants were here. They’ve fed birds, bees, and butterflies for thousands of years—and they’ll do the same in your yard. The best part? They’re easier to grow than you think.
What should I do with ferns in the garden?
Here are some ideas for where to put ferns in your garden:
- Use spreading ferns as a low-maintenance groundcover.
- Line the edges of walkways with low-growing ferns for a soft edge.
- Give a shady or side garden the lush, tropical look it deserves, with minimal work.
- Plant tall ferns to hide a compost pile or gas meter.
- Ferns make gorgeous foundation plants around the base of a house.
- Make an all-fern garden bed by layering tall, short, and different-colored ferns.
- Plant them under shade trees where little else can grow.
- Add drought-hardy ferns into a rock garden.
- Plant extra ferns so you can snip a few fronds to add to cut flower bouquets or arrangements.
- Strategically place evergreen ferns for a splash of green in winter.
- If you have a pond, ferns were made for draping the edges to make it look serene and lovely in all weather.
- Mix ferns with spring wildflowers in a shady spot.
- Plant them around a shaded patio for a relaxing retreat.
- Many ferns are hardy to surprisingly low temperatures, so they can be grown in containers.
- Use small ferns and mosses to make a fairy garden.
- If you want a real project, if your climate allows it, you can plant ferns into your trees for a true jungle feel.
What are good native ferns for the East & Midwestern U.S.?
The woodlands, meadows and bluffs of the eastern and midwestern U.S. were once lush with ferns. They can grow in the harshest northern winters but also the mild, humid climates further south.
Here are a few native ferns that are particularly useful for the garden:
Northern Maidenhair Fern
Maidenhair ferns are some of the most charming plants out there; their fronds seem to float above the ground, held up by slender stalks. They are easy to grow in medium to moist soils, and will slowly spread if happy. (If it gets too dry, the fern may go dormant, then most likely reappear when it rains.) They are lovely lining a pond, along a path in a shaded garden, in a shaded border, or in a woodland garden.
Overview
- Latin name: Adiantum pedatum
- 1-2 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones: 2-8
- See native range
Lady Fern
With lacy fronds and an easygoing disposition, lady fern is a great fern for the garden. It likes shade and moist soil, but can tolerate drier soils than many other ferns. It will slowly spread over time and can be easily divided. Unusually among plants, it is found across three continents (North America, Europe, and Asia)!
Overview
- Latin name: Athyrium filix-femina
- 2-3 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 2-9
- See native range
Hay-Scented Fern
Hay-scented fern is one of the few ferns described as “aggressive,” which makes it a perfect native groundcover to fill in a shaded or partly shaded area. “This is not a plant to mix with your treasured rarities or even to plant near them, but it is an elegant, weed-smothering fern in the right location,” writes William Cullina.
In shade, it can handle medium soils to even dry ones after it’s established; it can also thrive in full sun if the soil is consistently moist. It will fill in about a foot per year in ideal conditions, less if it is very dry or shady. It’s even tolerant of salt. And yes, it smells like freshly mown hay if you brush your hand through the ferns or crush a leaf.
Overview
- Latin name: Sitobolium punctilobulum or Dennstaedtia punctilobula
- 1-2 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 3-8
- See native range
Cinnamon Fern
A striking plant, cinnamon fern has stalk-like fronds in the spring and turns a beautiful golden-apricot shade in the fall. These plants love water and like moist to wet soils: they even are found growing directly in swamps. Songbirds build nests in the fronds, or use the fuzzy stems to line their nests. Cinnamon ferns are perfect for adding a touch of drama to ponds, rain gardens, and shade gardens.
Overview
- Latin name: Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
- 2-5 feet tall
- Full sun to full shade
- Zones 3-10
- See native range
Ostrich Fern
These are the classic fiddlehead ferns; the sight of the fat green fronds unfurling is enough to make anyone glad for spring. These stately, vase-shaped ferns will slowly spread, especially if planted in moist soil, but they can also withstand a bit of summer drought. Ostrich ferns make excellent plants for the foundation of a house, as well as shade and woodland gardens. They are happiest in the cooler regions of North America.
Overview
- Latin name: Matteuccia struthiopteris
- 2-4 feet tall
- Full sun to full shade
- Zones 2-8
- See native range
Christmas Fern
This fern gets its name as it’s often one of the few things still green during the Christmas season. As William Cullina writes, “It resolutely holds its dark green fronds through ice, snow, and bitter chill.” It’s also a very flexible and wide-ranging plant, handling heat and cold alike, and soils that range from moist to somewhat dry. The only thing it wants is at least some shade. It’s a great, adaptable fern for wherever you want something small, pretty, and evergreen.
Overview
- Latin name: Polystichum acrostichoides
- 1-2 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 3-8
- See native range
Marginal Wood Fern
Marginal wood fern is one of the ferns that doesn’t mind soil on the dry side. It’s also evergreen! Combined with its tolerance for deep shade, this makes marginal wood fern a great candidate for parts of the garden that are otherwise hard to fill. In the wild, it’s often found growing from cracks in boulders, and it’s a host plant for caterpillars of the Ghostly Fern Moth, the Marsh Fern Moth, and the Conifer Swift Moth. Use this low-growing fern in a shade garden, in a mixed planting with spring wildflowers, or under trees.
Overview
- Latin name: Dryopteris marginalis
- 1-2 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 3-8
- See native range
Beech Fern
There are two beech ferns; Broad Beech Fern grows in zones 4-9 and tops out at 1-2 feet tall, and Narrow Beech Fern grows in zones 2-7 and is a bit shorter. Both love shade and moist soil, and will spread slowly but surely to form a groundcover that can suppress weeds under deciduous trees. Despite their groundcover status they play well with others, mixing nicely with other plants like hostas or astilbes.
Overview
Broad Beech Fern
- Latin name: Phegopteris hexagonoptera
- 1-2 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 4-9
- See native range
Narrow Beech Fern
- Latin name: Phegopteris connectilis
- 8-18 inches tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 2-7
- See native range
What are good native ferns for gardens in the Southeast?
Southeastern gardeners can grow many of the ferns above, especially cinnamon fern, broad beech fern and Christmas fern, but here are a couple extra that you can grow that others can’t!
Southern Wood Fern
A handsome, upright, semi-evergreen fern, Southern wood fern is a popular garden plant with good reason. It’s adaptable to many types of soil, from medium to moist to wet. It will slowly spread and makes a lovely groundcover, as well as along ponds or in shade or rain gardens.
Overview
- Latin name: Dryopteris ludoviciana
- 3-4 feet tall
- Full shade
- Zones 7-9
- See native range
Southern Shield Fern
This adaptable and beautiful fern is one of the premier choices for Southern gardeners. Its light green fronds bow gracefully. It can grow in medium to wet soils and will slowly spread over time. In areas where it doesn’t freeze, it’s evergreen; otherwise it’ll wilt for the winter in the first hard frost.
Overview
- Latin name: Thelypteris kunthii (formerly Cyclosorus kunthii)
- 2-3 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 7-10
- See native range
What are good native ferns for gardens in the West?
Western gardeners are spoiled for ferns, especially in more moist areas: the area is home to some of the most magnificent ferns in the world. But even in drier areas, there are ferns to be had too. Keep reading to meet a few superstars:
Western Maidenhair Fern
Sometimes called “five-finger fern,” and you can see why! Commonly found in damp locations in the West, these ferns are easy to grow in moist soil and add a touch of delicate sophistication to any garden. They are stunning in a rock feature around a pond, mixed with small spring wildflowers, or among mosses.
Overview
- Latin name: Adiantum aleuticum
- 1-2 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 3-8
- See native range
Western Sword Fern
Growing 2-5 feet tall, Western sword fern is one of the jewels of the Pacific. It’s the kind of fern that makes people overseas jealous: it has earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. You may have seen sweeps of this magnificent, evergreen fern on walks in mossy forests, or in floral arrangements. It is happy in any moist area and looks lovely in a shade garden, border, cottage garden, or even as a houseplant.
Overview
- Latin name: Polystichum munitum
- 2-5 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 6-9
- See native range
Giant Chain Fern
Evergreen and truly massive, this impressive fern earns its name. Giant chain fern is the largest fern in North America; it grows 2-6 feet tall, adding a prehistoric look to any space. It needs moist soil, but is easy to grow. It size makes it perfect as a focal point if you have the right spot, but it’s also a great backdrop to other plants in a shade garden.
Overview
- Latin name: Woodwardia fimbriata
- 2-6 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 7-9
- See native range
Western Lady Fern
Another fern that will grow to massive proportions if it’s happy, western lady fern is a common sight in the rainforests of the Northwest. It likes moist soil and can handle deep shade, or even full sun if it’s kept moist.
Western lady fern is similarly spectacular enough to be a focal point in a garden, but looks just as nice around the foundations of a house, under trees and shrubs, or massed in a woodland or shade garden.
Overview
- Latin name: Athyrium filix-femina var. cyclosorum
- 4-6 feet tall
- Part sun to full shade
- Zones 3-8
- See native range
Rocky Mountain Woodsia
Yes, there are ferns for sun and rock gardens! Also known as cliff ferns, these tough little ferns are found growing in cliffs and crevices along the Pacific Coast east through the Rockies. Unusually for ferns, they like a few hours of direct sun. Tuck them in between rocks in your rock garden.
Overview
- Latin name: Woodsia scopulina
- Less than 1 foot tall
- Full sun to part sun
- Zones 2-8
- See native range
Birds-Foot Fern
Another fern that likes it hot and dry, Birds-foot Fern can add an intriguing texture to your rock gardens. Pacific Horticulture writes: “Planted in full sun, bird’s foot fern tolerates extremes in temperature, everything from below freezing to 110°F.” It’s native to California, Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon.
Overview
- Latin name: Pellaea mucronata
- 1 foot tall
- Full sun
- Zones 6-10
- See native range
How do I find native ferns for sale?
It’s definitely not as easy as it should be to buy native plants. Some of these will show up in your local garden centers, but often not all of them. If you’re having trouble finding a source, we’ve assembled some resources to help:
Where can I find seeds and plants?
Finding native plants can be challenging (we partly blame King Louis XVI.) To make it easier, we’ve assembled four sourcing ideas.
300+ native nurseries make finding one a breeze
Explore 100+ native-friendly eCommerce sites
Every state and province has a native plant society; find yours
Online Communities
Local Facebook groups are a great plant source
What are good pairings for native ferns?
Native ferns like consistent moisture (in nature, you’ll find it along streams, lakes, and ponds). Pair with other natives that thrive in this environment, like Joe Pye Weed and Cardinal Flower.
Now that you’ve gotten to know a few of the more easily grown native U.S. ferns, we hope you’re inspired. Ferns are lovely, versatile, low-maintenance plants for the garden—from groundcovers to hard-to-fill spots beneath trees to stars of the shady border. Plant a few and bring a sense of lushness and tropical flair to your yard, garden, or park.
Next, find more deer-resistant native plants, or for more plants that love wet areas, check out Native plants for a rain garden. Happy planting!
Sources
- Cullina, William. Native Ferns, Moss, & Grasses: From Emerald Carpet to Amber Wave, Serene and Sensuous Plants for the Garden. Echo Point Books and Media, 2008.
- Calscape, Giant Chain Fern.
- North Carolina Extension, Polystichum munitum (California Sword Fern, Giant Holly Fern, Imbricate Sword Fern, Swordfern, Sword Fern, Western sword, Western Swordfern, Western Sword Fern)
- North Carolina Extension, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum (Cinnamon Fern)
- Native Plant Trust, Marginal fern, Dryopteris marginalis from New England Wild Flower Society
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Adiantum pedatum
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Athyrium filix-femina
- Nickel, Earl. “California Native Ferns.” Pacific Horticulture.
There are plenty of options for shade.
