Ask a Master Gardener: Ferns Are Living Fossils
- Jennifer McDonald
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By: MaryJo Broussard, Mobile County Master Gardener | www.mobilecountymastergardeners.org
Ferns have been around since before the dinosaurs and are still here today—hardy, long lasting, dependable, adaptable, and beautiful. They just do their job without fuss, if you give them shady locations and good drainage for the most part.
These are not the monster ferns that often hang from ample South Alabama front porches and can sometimes be overwintered if they don’t dry out.
Nope, I am talking about ferns that have been growing in our area for decades with little or no fuss, just hanging around and getting bigger and better each year. They are a staple in my garden in Saraland and in nearly every good Southern garden. Most ferns like some shade, especially from hot afternoon sun, which can burn them. Here are ten ferns to consider:
Holly ferns are evergreen, tough as nails, and can form large clumps 4’ x 2’ given time. Edges of leaves are serrated thus the name, Holly.
Ghost Painted ferns are ghostly grey with burgundy stems, are deciduous and make mounds 3’ x 3’ and catch your eye with the lovely coloration.
Autumn ferns, with their new fronds open to a stunning coppery color, are evergreen, grow to 2’ x 3’, and are very tough.
Christmas ferns are native and can easily naturalize on a slope, creating a stabilizing ground cover.
Royal ferns, named because they look regal, over time create a crown of black stalks above ground, which are last year’s stalks. Royal ferns can be in a sunnier location if grown in a wetter spot, and they can help slow water flow in ditches. This fern is not evergreen, but without the fronds it shows its lovely crown, truly a living fossil.
Ostrich ferns are tall, elegant, and move easily in the breeze. While they are not evergreen, don’t hold that against this lovely, willowy and wispy fern. It’s what you think of when you envision a cool, moist, woodland garden. The ostrich fern can grow 3’ tall and will colonize, preferring moist and cooler locations with no sun.
Asparagus Foxtail ferns are hardy but not evergreen in a cold snap, but once the frost hits them, leave them in place because they become a lovely camel-colored plant. Cut them back when it warms and you will soon see new green shoots poking their heads out.
Japanese Painted ferns are lovely to behold. They come in a soft gray color with a maroon mid rib, are hardy, but not always evergreen for me. They are a showstopper with unusual coloration and reliably return each year. So worth the wait.
East Indian Holly ferns are very unusual with a rich green outer frond leaf and a lighter and creamier green inner front on each leaf. The East Indian Holly stays smaller in size but her upright and arching manner makes her stand out, and the coloration is spectacular.
Hart’s Tongue ferns are weird, but in a good way. They are a true ground cover; instead of forming clumps, they send out runners and the fronds emerge from those runners. True to their name, they look like a kid sticking out their tongue at you. They grow upright, with a darker green front side and a grey back side.
Check out the Gardening Events block for details of the Mobile Botanical Gardens Plantasia Spring Plant Sale where you can find these ferns and much more. Master Gardeners and other experts will be on hand to answer your questions and help with your choices.
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