Christmas fern is growing out of decaying leaves on a slope..

Three Christmas ferns are growing in a woodland garden setting.

A crate holding six gallon pots of Christmas Fern is ready for a sale.

A large cut trunk has multiple christmas ferns growing in front of it.

Christmas fern is growing on a slope with some fronds bent over and some standing tall.

Five fronds of a Christmas fern are growing out of decaying leaves.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

from $5.00

Christmas ferns are evergreen and naturally occur on shady slopes in the southern half of the lower peninsula in Michigan. For this reason, heavy clay or consistently wet soil should be avoided.

When the fiddleheads arise in the spring, they are covered with silver scales. Later, the entire stipe (stem) of fronds are covered with brown scales that are denser at the bottom.

This fern grows from one to three feet high. The leaves are once compound and lance-shaped. The leaflets (pinnae) are alternate and the base near the stem has a pointed lobe.

Fertile fronds have sori (groups of spores) only on the upper portion of the fronds. Fertile fronds usually stand straight up and non-fertile fronds are arching.

If you have a steep slope and are worried about erosion, this might be the plant for you. After first frost, the leaves lay flat and hold the fallen leaves in place.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Christmas Fern

height: 1-3 feet

soil: well-drained, dry-moist

sun: shade

plant spacing: 15”

life cycle: perennial

family: Dryopteridaceae

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Christmas ferns are evergreen and naturally occur on shady slopes in the southern half of the lower peninsula in Michigan. For this reason, heavy clay or consistently wet soil should be avoided.

When the fiddleheads arise in the spring, they are covered with silver scales. Later, the entire stipe (stem) of fronds are covered with brown scales that are denser at the bottom.

This fern grows from one to three feet high. The leaves are once compound and lance-shaped. The leaflets (pinnae) are alternate and the base near the stem has a pointed lobe.

Fertile fronds have sori (groups of spores) only on the upper portion of the fronds. Fertile fronds usually stand straight up and non-fertile fronds are arching.

If you have a steep slope and are worried about erosion, this might be the plant for you. After first frost, the leaves lay flat and hold the fallen leaves in place.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Christmas Fern

height: 1-3 feet

soil: well-drained, dry-moist

sun: shade

plant spacing: 15”

life cycle: perennial

family: Dryopteridaceae

The closest look-a-like fern to Christmas Fern in Michigan is Ebony Spleenwort, which we also sell. However, Christmas Fern is much larger fern and the stipes are not black.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Christmas ferns are evergreen and naturally occur on shady slopes in the southern half of the lower peninsula in Michigan. For this reason, heavy clay or consistently wet soil should be avoided.

When the fiddleheads arise in the spring, they are covered with silver scales. Later, the entire stipe (stem) of fronds are covered with brown scales that are denser at the bottom.

This fern grows from one to three feet high. The leaves are once compound and lance-shaped. The leaflets (pinnae) are alternate and the base near the stem has a pointed lobe.

Fertile fronds have sori (groups of spores) only on the upper portion of the fronds. Fertile fronds usually stand straight up and non-fertile fronds are arching.

If you have a steep slope and are worried about erosion, this might be the plant for you. After first frost, the leaves lay flat and hold the fallen leaves in place.

Christmas ferns are evergreen and naturally occur on shady slopes in the southern half of the lower peninsula in Michigan. For this reason, heavy clay or consistently wet soil should be avoided.

When the fiddleheads arise in the spring, they are covered with silver scales. Later, the entire stipe (stem) of fronds are covered with brown scales that are denser at the bottom.

This fern grows from one to three feet high. The leaves are once compound and lance-shaped. The leaflets (pinnae) are alternate and the base near the stem has a pointed lobe.

Fertile fronds have sori (groups of spores) only on the upper portion of the fronds. Fertile fronds usually stand straight up and non-fertile fronds are arching.

If you have a steep slope and are worried about erosion, this might be the plant for you. After first frost, the leaves lay flat and hold the fallen leaves in place.

Reviews

Wild Ginger Woodlands

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Christmas ferns are evergreen and naturally occur on shady slopes in the southern half of the lower peninsula in Michigan. For this reason, heavy clay or consistently wet soil should be avoided.

When the fiddleheads arise in the spring, they are covered with silver scales. Later, the entire stipe (stem) of fronds are covered with brown scales that are denser at the bottom.

This fern grows from one to three feet high. The leaves are once compound and lance-shaped. The leaflets (pinnae) are alternate and the base near the stem has a pointed lobe.

Fertile fronds have sori (groups of spores) only on the upper portion of the fronds. Fertile fronds usually stand straight up and non-fertile fronds are arching.

If you have a steep slope and are worried about erosion, this might be the plant for you. After first frost, the leaves lay flat and hold the fallen leaves in place.

Christmas ferns are evergreen and naturally occur on shady slopes in the southern half of the lower peninsula in Michigan. For this reason, heavy clay or consistently wet soil should be avoided.

When the fiddleheads arise in the spring, they are covered with silver scales. Later, the entire stipe (stem) of fronds are covered with brown scales that are denser at the bottom.

This fern grows from one to three feet high. The leaves are once compound and lance-shaped. The leaflets (pinnae) are alternate and the base near the stem has a pointed lobe.

Fertile fronds have sori (groups of spores) only on the upper portion of the fronds. Fertile fronds usually stand straight up and non-fertile fronds are arching.

If you have a steep slope and are worried about erosion, this might be the plant for you. After first frost, the leaves lay flat and hold the fallen leaves in place.

Reviews

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Wild Ginger Woodlands