Polystichum acrostichoides
Photographs belong to the photographers who allow use for FNPS purposes only. Please contact the photographer for all other uses.
Christmas Fern
Dryopteridaceae
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Fern | |
| Size: | to 2.5 ft tall by 1-2 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | NA | |
| Fruit Color: | NA | |
| Phenology: | Semi-evergreen | |
| Noted for: | Interesting foliage |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Treasure if you have it. Good for rock gardens and shade gardens as an understory plant. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Benefits from periodic removal of old fronds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Does not spread vegetatively; rare spread from spores. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Specialty providers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Shade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Humus (organic, upland), Lime rock, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Circum-neutral to calcareous. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
| |
| Insects: | ||
| Native Habitats: | Rocky hammocks and upper margins of swamps. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | The range of this species includes much of eastern North America up into southern Canada. Its occurrence in Florida is sparse with appropriate substrate likely being the primary determining factor. |