Christmas Fern

Polystichum acrostichoides

A tough evergreen fern that holds its green fronds through winter and grips a shady slope.

the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwest

Growing Christmas Fern

One of the most adaptable native ferns, taking dry shade and erosion-prone banks in stride. Stays green for winter interest when everything else has died back. It’s deer-resistant, evergreen, and easy to grow.

Where it grows

Christmas Fern is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kentucky and 24 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.

Regional Garden shows Christmas Fern on 34 state pages.

Good for

Deer-resistant For shade Groundcovers Low-maintenance Evergreen

Sourcing

Where to buy Christmas Fern

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.

Plant it with

Companions & kin.

Natives that share Christmas Fern’s range and conditions.

Fern

Cinnamon Fern

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

A bold architectural fern for wet shade, with cinnamon-colored fertile fronds in spring.

Part shade
Average–wet
2–4 ft
Foliage

Shrub

American Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Big lacy flower heads in summer give way to purple-black berries for both birds and your kitchen.

Full–part sun
Average–wet
6–12 ft
Blooms Jun–Jul

Shrub

Arrowwood Viburnum

Viburnum dentatum

A bulletproof hedge shrub with white spring flowers, blue fall berries, and burgundy autumn leaves.

Sun to shade
Average–wet
6–10 ft
Blooms May–Jun

Ornamental grass

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

The towering 'turkey-foot' grass that once defined the tallgrass prairie, head-high by fall.

Full sun
Dry to wet
4–7 ft
Fall color