fancy fern

Plant Type

Fern

Life Cycle

Perennial

Typical Size

1.5-3 ft. tall
2-3 ft. wide

Tolerant of

Occasional Flooding

Inolerant of

Dry Soil, Direct Afternoon Sun

Propagation

By division

Plant Planting Notes

Provide up to 3 ft spacing.

Plants/Diseases

No significant disease or pest issues.

Leaves

Oval to narrowly triangular fronds. Leaflets are lobed with crenulate to serrate margins. Rough textured.

Flowers

No fertile fronds. Spores are borne on the back of the fronds.

Fruit

Spores.

Toxicity

No known toxicity.

USDA Hardiness Zones

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Light Exposure

Part Sun/Shade, Full Shade

Soil Moisture

Moist

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Acidic (less than 6.0)

Native in South Carolina?

Yes

Plant Native Habitat

Mesic rocky forests.

Global Conservation Status (NatureServe)

Secure (G5)

Federal Conservation Status (USFWS)

Not Listed

Distribution Notes

Rare in the South Carolina piedmont. Uncommon in the mountains. Absent from the coastal plain and sandhills.