Introduction
Lists
Links
Favorites
Index (MENU)
For a planting zone comparison from U.S.A to Australian use the MAP
A Selection of Fern Species
  • The letters under "other habitats" refer to the letters for habitats on this table (A = piedmont; B = coastal plain; C = mountains; D = calcareous). Those letters in parentheses indicate relative infrequency in that habitat.
  • EV/DEC refers to evergreen or deciduous; E = evergreen; D = deciduous; SE = semi-evergreen.
  • The moisture and light categories give the range of conditions in which the species generally occur, indicated by the "x"
Botanical Name 
Common Name 
Other Habitats 
Size
EV/DEC
Moisture
Wet-Dry 
Light 
Sun-Shade
Adiatum pedatum
Northern maidenhair fern
(B), C, D
14-28"
D
- xx - -
- - - xx
Asplenium pinnatifidum
Lobed spleenwort
C
2-7"
E
- - xxx
- - - xx
Asplenium platyneuron
Ebony spleenwort
B, C, D
6-16"
E
- - xxx
-xxx-
Athyrium filix-femina var. asplenoides 
(A. asplenoides)
Southern lady fern
B, C, D
12-48"
D
- xx - -
- - xxx
Botrychium biternatum
Southern grape fern
B, C
7-18"
E
- - xx -
- - xxx
Botrychium dissectum
Common grape fern
B, C
4-15"
E
- - xx -
- - xxx
Botrychium virginianum
Rattlesnake fern 
B, C
6-18"
D
- - xx -
- - xxx
Cheilanthes lanosa
Hairy lip fern
B, C, D
8-16"
E
- - xxx
xxxx -
Onoclea sensibilis
Sensitive fern, bead fern
B, C, D
14-30"
D
xx - - - 
xxx - -
Osmunda cinnamomea
Cinnamon fern
B, C
24-48"
D
xx - - -
xxxx -
Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis
Royal fern, flowering fern
B, C
24-60"
D
xx - - - 
xxx - -
Polypodium olpodioides
Resurrection fern
B, C, D
2-7"
E
- - xxx
- - xxx
Polystiichum acrostichoides
Christmas fern
B, C, D
12-28"
E
- xxx -
- - xxx
Pteridium aquilinum
Bracken fern
B, C
18-36"
D
- - xxx
xxx - -
Thelypteris hexagonoptera
(Phegopteris hesagonoptera)
Broad beech fern
(B), C
6-12"
D
- xx - - 
- - xxx
Thelypteris novaboracensis
New York fern
C
12-24"
D
- xx - -
- - xxx
Woodsia obtusa
Blunt-lobed Woodsia, cliff fern
B, C, D
8-20"
E
- - xxx
xxxx -
Woodwardia areolate 
(Lorenseria areolata)
Small or netted chain fern
B, C
12-24"
D
xx - - -
xxxxx
B. Ferns of the Coastal Plain
Dryopteris ludoviciana
Southern or evergreen southern woodfern
D
24-48"
E
xx - - -
- - -xx
Thelypteris hispidula var. vericolor 
(T. Versicolor, T. quadrangularis)
Variable maiden fern
D
16-32"
D
xxx - -
xxxx -
Thelypteris kunthi 
Southern shield or widespread maiden
D
22-44"
D
xxx - -
xxxx -
Thelypteris palustris var. pubexcens
Marsh fern
A
18-36"
D
xx - - -
xxx - -
Woodwardia virginica
Virginia, large or giant chain fern
A, C
20-50"
D
xx - - -
xxx - -
C. Ferns of the Mountains
Asplenium montanum
Mountain spleenwort
(A)
1.5-6"
E
- - xx -
- - xxx
Asplenium trichomanes
Maidenhair spleenwort
A, D
2-8"
E
- - xx -
- - xxx
Athyrium Thelpyteriodes
Silvery glade fern or spleenwort
(a), D
20-40"
D
- xx - -
- - xxx
Cheilanthes tomentosa
Wooly lip fern
A, (B), D
10-20"
E
- - - xx
xxx - - 
Dryopteris goldiana
Goldie's wood fern
D
36-48"
E
- xxx -
- - xxx
Dryopteris intermedia
Evergreen wood fern, fancy fern
(A), (D)
18-36"
E
- xxx -
- - xxx
Dryopteris marginalis
Marginal wood fern
(A), (D)
18-24"
E
- - xx -
- xxx -
Lygodium palmatrum
Climbing fern, Hartford fern
A
24-48"
E
xx - - -
- - xx -
Osmunda claytoniana
Interrupted fern
(A), (D)
24-48"
D
- xx - - 
- - xxx
Polypodium virginianum
Rock-cap fern, common polypody
(A), (D)
4-14"
E
- - xx -
- - - xx
D. Ferns Generally Specific to Calcareous Areas (ridge and valley, limestone areas, etc.)
Adiantum capillus-veneris
Southern maidenhair or Venus hair fern
A, B, C
10-22"
E/D
- xx - -
- - - xx
Asplenium x ebenoides
Scott's spleenwort
 
4-12"
E
- xx - -
- - - xx
Asplenium resiliens
Black-stem spleenwort
A, B, C
2.5-12"
E
- - xx- -
- - xxx
Asplenium rhizophyllus 
(Camptosorus rizophyllus)
Walking fern
A, B, C
5-10"
E
- - xx -
- - xxx
Asplenium ruta-muraria
Wall-rue spleenwort
 
1-4"
E
- xx - -
- - xxx
Athyrium pycnocarpon
Glade fern
A, C
12-30"
D
- xx - -
- - xxx
Cystoteris bulbifera
Bublet or berry bladder fern
 
8-18"
D
- xx - - 
- - xxx
Cystopteris protrusa 
(C. fragilis, C. fragilis protrusa)
Southern fragile fern
A, C
10-20"
D/SE
- xx - -
- - xxx
Pallaea x atropurpurea
Purple cliffbrake
A, B, C
8-20"
E
- - xxx
xxxx -
Introduction
Lists
Links
Favorites
Index (MENU)
Site Construction by GraTim © 2001