Here is the list of the Best Perennial Ferns that stand the test of time, adding beauty and greenery to your garden year after year.
Looking for the finest perennial ferns for your garden? Explore our selection of the Best Perennial Ferns that offer lasting beauty and charm, bringing a touch of green elegance to your outdoor space year after year.
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Best Perennial Ferns
1. Cinnamon Fern
Botanical Name: Osmunda cinnamomea
USDA Zones: 3-9
These perennial ferns, with their silvery furry fiddleheads bring captivating hues and texture to any shaded garden.
2. Southern Maidenhair Fern
Botanical Name: Adiantum capillus-veneris
USDA Zones: 7-10
Unlike traditional ferns, it showcases a shorter stature and unique fronds that deviate from the conventional shape yet exude an exquisite delicacy.
3. Hayscented Fern
Botanical Name: Dennstaedtia punctilobula
USDA Zones: 3-8
These perennial ferns derive their name from the pleasant fragrance of freshly mowed hay emitted when its fronds are crushed.
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4. Broad Beech Fern
Botanical Name: Phegopteris hexagonoptera
USDA Zones: 5-9
The Broad Beech Fern, a native plant, showcases a fascinating growth pattern where individual fronds emerge along the length of its underground rhizomes.
5. Japanese Tassel Fern
Botanical Name: Polystichum polyblepharum
USDA Zones: 5-8
It boasts semi-evergreen, dark green fronds that gracefully emerge from a central rosette. The name comes from its striking golden-copper hairs that adorn the new fronds.
6. Japanese Painted Ferns
Botanical Name: Athyriumniponicum
USDA Zones: 4-9
Next on the list of perennial ferns, these are loved for their captivating leaf colors, adding a touch of beauty to any garden.
7. Common Maidenhair Fern
Botanical Name: Adiantum pedatum
USDA Zones: 3-8
The Northern Maidenhair fern features striking black stems that beautifully contrast with the light green foliage, creating an eye-catching display.
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8. Ostrich Fern
Botanical Name: Matteuccia struthiopteris
USDA Zones: 4-7
With its impressive size, this perennial fern has the ability to infuse a touch of tropical ambiance into any garden setting.
9. Lady Fern
Botanical Name: Athyrium filix-femina
USDA Zones: 3-9
Its delicately-cut, lacy fronds have a graceful appearance and can reach an impressive height of up to 4-5 feet.
10. Southern Wood Fern
Botanical Name: Dryopteris ludoviciana
USDA Zones: 6-10
The Southern Wood Fern is a winter-hardy fern variety that is indigenous to the region. Its lush, light green fronds grow in a dense and bushy manner.
11. Holly Fern
Botanical Name: Cyrtomium spp.
USDA Zones: 6-10
The Holly Fern, named for its resemblance to holly leaves, features stiff and glossy dark green fronds. It does best in bright and indirect light.
12. Male Fern
Botanical Name: Dryopteris filix-mas
USDA Zones: 4-8
This perennial fern features brown-golden-green foliage in colder climates, while in warmer regions, it retains its evergreen nature.
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13. Christmas Fern
Botanical Name: Polystichum acrostichoides
USDA Zones: 3-8
The Christmas Fern, a native plant, features leathery fronds that maintain a glossy, vibrant green color throughout the year.
14. Autumn Fern
Botanical Name: Dryopteris erythrosora
USDA Zones: 4-9
The Autumn Fern is a delightful addition to any garden, offering a year-round display of frilly evergreen fronds that add vibrant colors to the landscape.
15. Marginal Wood Fern
Botanical Name: Dryopteris marginalis
USDA Zones: 3-8
The Marginal Wood Fern, a native perennial fern, showcases elegantly grayish-green fronds that are deeply cut and possess a leathery texture.
16. Korean Rock Fern
Botanical Name: Polystichum tsus-simense
USDA Zones: 7-9
The Korean Rock Fern offers glossy dark green fronds with a chartreuse or silver hue, creating a captivating interplay of colors and textures.
17. Western Sword Fern
Botanical Name: Polystichum munitum
USDA Zones: 5-9
The Korean Rock Fern boasts lustrous, leathery, and dark green foliage that remains evergreen, forming expansive clumps with numerous long fronds in shady environments.
18. Interrupted Fern
Botanical Name: Osmunda claytoniana L.
USDA Zones: 3-8
These perennial ferns showcase a remarkably large and vase-shaped form. Its unique characteristic is its fertile fronds “interrupted” by spore-bearing leaflets.
19. Royal Fern
Botanical Name: Osmunda regalis
USDA Zones: 3-9
The Royal Fern, a native plant, showcases distinctive and delicate bright green fronds that sometimes exhibit a silvery sheen.
20. Southern Shield Fern
Botanical Name: Thelypteris kunthii
USDA Zones: 6-9
The Southern Shield Fern, a native plant, features elegantly arching fronds that resemble the classic, stereotypical fern leaves, showcasing a delightful lime to medium-green hue.
21. Ebony Spleenwort
Botanical Name: Asplenium platyneuron
USDA Zones: 3-8
A small perennial fern, it exhibits a preference for drier conditions. The name “ebony” alludes to the stalk, which darkens and turns black as it matures.
22. Tree Fern
Botanical Name: Dicksonia antarctica
USDA Zones: 7-10
They typically have a single trunk, called a “caudex,” which is covered in a fibrous material known as “skirt.” The fronds, which emerge from the top of the trunk.
