This perennial is leafy and green in the deepest winterand drought tolerant.
Our guide outlines Christmas fern care and planting tips.
The benefits continue in early spring when the coiled, silver-green fronds unfurl.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Christmas ferns grow in clumps that work well in borders alongsideshade-loving perennial flowers.
Mulch the ferns to keep their roots cool and the soil moist.
Space your plants 18 inches apart to give them room to reach their full size.
Credit:Blaine Moats
It can take several years for Christmas ferns to become established.
Give this woodland fern the right conditions, and it will thrive with little help from you.
Christmas ferns are more adaptable and drought-tolerant than many other native ferns.
Credit: Bob Stefko
They can tolerate full shade but preferdappled light, the sort of sun that filters through a forest canopy.
If they get too much sun, their deep green fronds fade, and the plant becomes stunted.
In Southern climates, the fronds burn if they get too much sunlight.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Christmas ferns can tolerate more light than most other ferns if the soil is kept moist.
Soil and Water
Christmas fern tolerates many soil typesas long as its well-drained.
This fern doesnt do well inclay soilbecause it tends to get crown rot in heavy, wet soil.
Water Christmas fern weekly during the growing season to keep its soil consistently moist.
Temperature and Humidity
Christmas fern needs cool, shady conditions.
This isnt a good plant for hot, dry regions.
Frost-tolerant Christmas fern thrives in temperatures of 50F to 70F, with humidity levels of at least 50 percent.
Fertilizer
Pruning
Unfussy Christmas ferns dont need pruning.
Just remove dead, damaged, or yellowing leaves throughout the year as they appear.
This fern doesn’t need annual repottingevery two years is usually sufficient.
The best time to divide Christmas ferns is in the spring when new growth emerges.
Plant those sections anywhere in your garden or yard where there are fern-appropriate growing conditions.
Keep the replanted divisions watered until they take root.
The spores are located on the underside of the fronds.
Dont harvest unripe spores; they usually ripen in October and fall from the plant to the ground.
Broadcast the spores on a layer of potting soil and mist them.
Germination can take up to three months.
These companions create a low-maintenance, visually appealing garden display.
Hosta
Blaine Moats
Hostais one of the most frequently grown garden plants.
Astilbes dramatic, spiky flowers attract pollinators that would otherwise pass by a border of ferns.
Bleeding Heart
This old-fashioned perennial is a cottage garden favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes.
With optimal care, Christmas ferns can live about 15 years.
Christmas fern doesnt naturalize, but its clump of fronds grows larger over the years.
you could divide mature ferns to increase the number of plants.
