Ferns

Family:  Dryopteridaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Asia
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 30"
Attributes:  Evergreen, upright fern with slight arching habit.  Bright green new growth.
Notes: Still relatively uncommon in cultivation despite its ease of culture.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Dryopteridaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Japan, Taiwan, China
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 2'
Attributes:  Evergreen to semievergreen.  Arching fronds with thick leathery undivided pinnae.
Notes: Unlike other in ferns in the same genus.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Dryopteridaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Himalayas
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 30"
Attributes:  Deciduous.  Bright green spring growth.
Notes: Still relatively uncommon in cultivation despite its ease of culture.

Pot Size:  Small Band Pot

Family:  Dryopteridaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Asia
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 3'
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Orange-yellow new growth.  Upright foliage.
Notes: Exotic texture that brightens up the shady garden.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Equisetaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: North America
Soil: Moist, wet, humus rich
Light: Sun, part shade
Height: 2' - 4'
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Upright stems with black and tan striped segments resembling bamboo. 
Notes: Best when grown in large pot both to keep contained and to also show off its upright texture.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family:  Equisetaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: North America
Soil: Moist, wet, humus rich
Light: Sun, part shade
Height: 6'
Attributes:  Evergreen.  Upright stems with black and tan striped segments resembling bamboo. 
Notes: Best when grown in large pot both to keep contained and to also show off its upright texture.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Pteridaceae
Zone: 2 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 4" - 10"
Attributes:  Deciduous, Triangular fronds, spreading rhizome.
Notes: Apple green new growth.  Spreading ground-cover fern.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Pteridaceae
Zone: 2 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 4" - 10"
Attributes:  Deciduous, Triangular fronds, spreading rhizome.
Notes: Apple green new growth.  Spreading ground-cover fern.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Dennstaedtiaceae
Zone: 7?8 - 9
Natural Range: Chile
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade, shade
Height:  2' - 4'
Bloom Time: NA
Attracts: NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Deciduous.  Spreading, shallow rhizome.  Triangular, fuzzy fronds.
Notes:Spore grown plants from our southern central Chile trip.  Unsure of the hardiness but worth some testing in zone 8 gardens.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Polypodiaceae
Zone: 9 - 10
Natural Range: Asia
Soil: Average to moist
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 1" - 2" 
Attributes:  Evergreen, thick rounded fronds with dimporphic firtile fronds
Notes: Slowly colonizes logs, rocks and trees.  Tolerant of lighter frosts into the mid 20s.

Pot Size: 4" Band Pot

Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: New Zealand
Soil:  Average, moist humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 5" - 18"
Attributes:  Evergreen, Creeping rhizome.  Triangular fronds with whitish hairs along the midribs and veins.
Notes:  In the wild Lasreopsis microsora is found growing on river banks, and lowland forests.  Can be somewhat slow growing.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Pteridaceae
Zone: 7 - 9
Natural Range: China
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade-shade
Height: 12"-15"
Attributes:  Evergreen, Thick leathery fronds with short creeping rhizome.
Notes: In the wild Lepisorus bicolor grows on moist rocks.  Very adaptable to garden conditions and given two to three years can form a clump to 18' wide.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Onocleaceae
Zone: 3 - 9
Natural Range: North America
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 4'-7'
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Deciduous.  Large crown.  Upright-vase-shaped sterile fronds with feathery fertile fronds emerging from the center. 
Notes: A tropical looking form that once established can form very large plants.  Edible fronds in late winter/early spring.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Polypodiaceae
Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: Asia
Soil: Average to moist
Light: Part shade
Height: 1' - 3' 
Attributes:  Evergreen to semievergreen.  Spreading habit.  Delicate but sturdy, soft fuzzy foliage with arching habit.
Notes: Fun, fuzzy unfurling fronds.

Pot Size: 1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Blechnaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: New Zealand
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 3' - 6'
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen, Bright pink to orange new growth turning green.  Ruffled, arching mature fronds.  Separate fertile fronds.  Spreading rhizome
Notes: Grows faster with constant moisture.  All the attributes I search for in ferns yet not often encountered in the trade.  Only a limited number of available plants!  Recently re-classified from Blechum to Parablechnum.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Pteridaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: North America
Soil: Well drained
Light: Sun, Part shade
Height: 12"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen, Blue green fronds with dark purple stem.
Notes: Great for rock gardens.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Thelypteridaceae
Zone: 4 - 9 
Natural Range: Asia
Soil: Moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun, shade
Height: 2'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Feathery leaves, forming colonies by rhizome.
Notes: Soft fuzzy fronds.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Thelypteridaceae

Family:  Aspleniaceae
Zone: 4 - 9
Natural Range: Europe
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Shade to part shade
Height: 12"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen, crinkled, wavy margins.  Forms erect-arching clumps of leathery tongue-shaped, bright green fronds.
Notes: A very unique texture.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:Polypodiaceae
Natural Range: California 
Zone: 6 - 10
Soil: Average to dry, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height:  12" - 15"
Attributes: Evergreen.  Finely divide fronds.  Shallow creeping rhizome
Notes:  Summer dormant, growing fronds autumn.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: PNW
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, drought tolerant
Light:  Part shade, shade, sun
Attributes:  Late spring deciduous, 12" long arching.  Shallow rhizomes that forms an expanding clump.
Notes: In the wild Polypodium glycyrrhiza grows on Acer macrophyllum and Alnus rubra trunks, or on mossy rocks, old stumps or on the ground where they landed after falling out of a tree.  They lose their fronds as the season dries and grows new ones in summer, keeping them through winter.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:Polypodiaceae
Natural Range: Mexico
Zone: 7 - 10
Soil: Average to dry, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height:  8"
Attributes: Evergreen.  Thick leathery leaves, uniform fronds.  Shallow creeping rhizome
Notes:  A super cool, hard to find small growing licorice fern from the mountains of eastern Mexico.  Proven to be surprisingly hardy, remaining evergreen with no damage during sustained temperatures below 15 F and being planted in an exposed stump.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:Polypodiaceae
Natural Range: Siberia
Zone: 2 - 8
Soil: Average
Light: Part shade
Height:  4" - 8"
Attributes: Evergreen.  Thick leathery leaves, uniform fronds.  Shallow creeping rhizome
Notes:  A circumboreal species native to northern latitudes.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Dryopteridaceae
Zone: 5 - 9
Natural Range: Northern Africa, Western Asia, Southern Europe
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Shade, part shade
Height:  18"
Bloom Time: NA
Attracts: NA
Pest Resistance:  NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Very finely dissected fronds that radiate horizontal from the crown.
Notes: More delicate and smaller in appearance than the typical species.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Polypodiaceae
Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: China, Japan, Korea
Soil: Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 6" - 8"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Felt covered, fingered fronds. 
Notes: Slow growing, creeping rhizome.  Pyrrosia grow on mossy logs, trees and rocks in the wild.  In the garden Pyrrosia grow well with other ferns in a good loose, rich moist soil.  Works well in pots.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Polypodiaceae
Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: China, Japan, Korea
Soil: Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 6" - 18"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Felt covered, fingered fronds. 
Notes: Slow growing, creeping rhizome.  Pyrrosia grow on mossy logs, trees and rocks in the wild.  In the garden Pyrrosia grow well with other ferns in a good loose, rich moist soil.  Works well in pots.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Polypodiaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Asia
Soil: Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 6" - 18"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Green blade-like fronds with contrasting underside of the frond.  Orange felt like sori that cover the entire frond.   This form has fronds with dark green and light green striping. 
Notes: Slow growing, creeping rhizome.  Pyrrosia grow on mossy logs, trees and rocks in the wild.  In the garden Pyrrosia grow well with other ferns in a good loose rich moist soil.  Shelter from the afternoon sun.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Polypodiaceae
Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: China, Japan
Soil: Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 6" - 8"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Felt covered, fingered fronds. 
Notes: Slow growing, creeping rhizome.  This selection has wavy edges.

Pot Size:  4" Pot

Family:  Polypodiaceae
Zone: 6 - 9
Natural Range: Asia
Soil: Average, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 6" - 18"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Evergreen.  Green blade-like fronds with contrasting underside of the frond.  Orange felt like sori that cover the entire frond.
Notes: Slow growing, creeping rhizome.  Pyrrosia grow on mossy logs, trees and rocks in the wild.  In the garden Pyrrosia grow well with other ferns in a good loose rich moist soil.  Shelter from the afternoon sun.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family: Dryopteridaceae 
Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: South America; Chile
Soil:  Average, humus rich
Light: Sun, part shade
Height: 1' - 3'
Bloom Time:  NA
Attracts:  NA
Pest Resistance:  Deer, Rabbit
Attributes:  Evergreen. Thick leathery triangular fronds.
Notes:  When grown in full sun the fronds are upright and denser.  While when grown in shade tend to grow out more arching to flat.  Quite summer drought tolerant when established.  In Chile we found these growing in dappled shade underneath Azara and Sophora tree along with other ferns such as Blechnum.  In the full sun they can be found growing with Eryngium.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Family:  Thelypteridaceae
Zone: 7 - 9 
Natural Range: PNW
Soil: Moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun, shade
Height: 2'
Attributes: Deciduous.  Feathery leaves, forming colonies by rhizome.
Notes: In the summer Thelypteris nevadensis has a sweet, earthy fragrance.  I can't help but imagine being in the mountains when the scent catches my nose during a warm summer day!  In the wild this species grows in shady forests and wet mountain meadows often with Lilium pardalinum, Aconitum occidentale, and even swamp Allium.

Pot Size:  Large Band Pot

Family:  Thelypteridaceae
Zone: 7 - 9 
Natural Range: Southeastern United States, Mexico
Soil: Moist, humus rich
Light: Part sun
Height: 12" - 24"
Attributes: Deciduous.  Feathery green leaves, forming colonies by rhizome.
Notes: Gracefully arching green fronds turning yellow in fall.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Family:  Woodsiaceae
Zone: 4 - 8
Natural Range: North America
Soil: Average to moist, humus rich
Light: Shade to part shade
Height: 12"
Bloom Time: NA
Attributes: Deciduous, fuzzy fronds.
Notes: Small fern that works great in a shade garden and mixed with other small perennials and ferns.

Pot Size:  4" Band Pot

Zone: 7 - 10
Natural Range: BC, WA, OR, CA
Soil:  Moist, humus rich, well drained
Light: Part shade
Height: 6' - 8'
Attributes:  Evergreen, Thick crown, toothed pinnae. 
Notes:  In the wild this produces massive fronds colonizing damp seeps and creeks on  forested hillsides.  This is a great foliage plant in a shady moist garden.

Pot Size:  1 Gallon Pot

Zone: 8 - 10
Natural Range: Japan, China, Taiwan
Soil:  Moist, humus rich
Light: Part shade
Height: 3' or more
Attributes:  Evergreen, Thick crown with glossy red new growth turning dark green.  toothed pinnae.  Tiny ferns are formed on the fronds  
Notes:  In the wild this produces cascading fronds colonizing damp mountain forests.  This is a great foliage plant in a shady moist garden.  Great when grown in a tall pot or hanging basket where the fronds are allowed to cascade over the side.  We keep our outside almost every year in our zone 7 garden and tuck inside when temps get into mid 20s.

Pot Size:  4" Pot