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Ferns For The Shade Garden - Part II

© Marge Talt

Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern)

I adore this fern, especially in early spring when the croziers are just unfolding in an incredible coppery pink color. As they unroll, the fronds become a pinkish honey green. When mature, the fronds are a bright, shiny mid-green with a stiff, upright and slightly curving habit. The caudex is olive green, covered in rust colored fuzzy hairs and the sporangium are a bright rust color. When the weather starts to get cold, a hint of russet returns to the frond, which is evergreen in my garden. The old fronds will look pretty weather-beaten by spring and I generally cut them off to make way for the new ones.

Autumn Ferns can get to be three feet (91 cm) tall, although mine stays around 20" - 24" (50 - 60 cm). The bed I have it in is invaded by Maple (Acer) roots and the soil dries out quickly in summer. I think, if I had it in a location with less competition and more consistent soil moisture, it would grow taller.

Autumn Ferns are native to Japan, China and Korea and are rated hardy to USDA zone 5. They do well in shade to semi-shade. If you don't have this fern, it should go right to the top of your wish-list.

Matteuccia (Ostrich Fern)

Ostrich Fern is another of my special favorites. In the wild, Ostrich Ferns are found in wooded river bottomlands and swamps in neutral to alkaline muck where they can reach five to ten feet (152 - 304cm) in height. They are native to central and northern North America from Newfoundland to Alaska and south to Virginia, Europe and Asia. The Asian variety is, I understand, larger in all its parts than that found in North America. They are rated hardy from USDA zones 2 to 8. Some of my gardening friends in southern Virginia and North Carolina have said that Ostrich Fern is difficult for them to grow, so it may be that it only does well in the colder parts of USDA zone 7 on the East Coast. Others, in the Pacific Northwest (USDA z.8) find it is a rampant spreader.

In my very shady, acid clay border, which is a bit on the dry side, the vase shaped shuttlecock of fronds only reaches about 36 inches (91 cm) in height. They really do like moist soil and suffer when it is too dry. Dry conditions can bring on early dormancy. This has happened to me once during a drought when all my watering just wasn't enough. Ostrich Ferns can be grown in shade to semi-shade, tolerating more sun in swampy conditions.