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Native Plant Database

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Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides (Southern lady fern)
Wasowski, Sally and Andy

Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides (Michx.) Hultén

Southern lady fern

Dryopteridaceae (Wood Indies-Almond Family)

Synonyms: Athyrium asplenioides, Athyrium filix-femina var. asplenioides

USDA Symbol: atfia2

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A waist-high, delicate-looking fern for moist-to-wet semi-shade, this is a great fern to use in large-scale, eastern woodland landscapes. It is easy to grow, even aggressive in the right conditions, and requires no more maintenance than preventing it from drying out. Its lime green fiddleheads emerge in the spring and then continue less abundantly through summer and fall. Mature foliage is a refreshing light green.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Fern
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: Normally 18 to 36 inches
Leaf: Light green
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 3-6 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Not Applicable
Bloom Notes: Not a flowering plant. Reproduces by spores.

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , LA , MA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Native Distribution: Eastern North America, Zones 6 to 8
Native Habitat: Thickets, Shaded woods, Swamps, Stream, river banks, Acid bogs. Meadows, open thickets, moist woods, and swamps
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium , High
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
Drought Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Rich, moist to wet, acid to neutral, sandy, sandy loam, medium loam, clay loam, and clay soils
Conditions Comments: Tolerates seasonal flooding but not drought. Also does best in dappled shade to part shade, not so good in deep shade.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Ground cover, Bog or pond area, Water garden, Accent plant, Woodland landscape
Use Wildlife: Provides cover for Woodhouse Toads and anoles
Interesting Foliage: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division
Maintenance: Like many woodland ferns, can colonize aggressively by rhizomes in the right conditions. If it gets too dense and aggressive for your space, thin out and reduce. Water when fronds begin to turn brown.

Bibliography

Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

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Additional resources

USDA: Find Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Athyrium filix-femina ssp. asplenioides

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-02-10
Research By: TWC Staff

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