Ferns For Shade

Ferns for Shade need moist soil

If you’re wondering where to buy cheap ferns for shade, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got ferns for moist shade, ferns for dry shade and even ferns for shady areas in every USDA zone in the US. Prices start as low as $5.99 so grab a bargain while stocks last.

Ferns for shade can be found at low everyday prices

When it comes to ferns for shady areas, we’re proud of our fantastic range. We’ve got all the traditional ferns like maidenhair ferns and Christmas ferns and many of the more unusual ferns like the super hardy resurrection fern. Whatever greenery you’re after, you can be sure to get it at a high price through our wholesale nursery.

We believe everyone deserves to have a beautiful garden and so we work hard to bring you low prices every day. We do this by growing most of the shade-loving ferns we sell on our 3500+ acres of nursery growing land. Because we become most of our plants ourselves, when you buy from us, you’re buying directly from the grower. This cuts out the middle-man and allows us to pass on great, low grower prices.

Ferns for Shade are very tough plants

If you think ferns are delicate, think again. Our ferns generally require little maintenance, and many of them are deer-resistant. We even have some drought-tolerant varieties. How’s that for the hardy!

Pro tip:
Pretty much all our shade-loving ferns will grow in moist shade. If you’re after ferns for dry shade, we recommend the cinnamon fern and the leatherwood fern.

So if you want to grab an excellent deal on a fern for a dark patch in your garden, all our shade-loving ferns look great and are easy to maintain. Buy yours today from $5.99.

Fiddlehead Fern

Fiddleheads of Ostrich Fern (Matteucia struthiopteris), Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-Femina)

The ostrich fern, bracken, and lady fern reach a “fiddlehead state” where the curled shoots can be gathered, prepared, and eaten. The name is derived from the similar appearance to the neck of a fiddle. Only in spring and early summer, these three species will flourish with delectably nutritious fiddleheads. It is imperative to identify and establish the fiddleheads are that of these species, as in this state, all other ferns are inedible. Once the fronds reach maturity, the tree ferns are not fit for consumption but instead provide an impressive landscape. Once the fern establishes roots, it can thoroughly spread and fill its designated space.

In regards to fiddleheads, the ostrich fern is more popularly associated. This species thrives in shady river bottoms or vibrant woodland forests and can grow up to seven feet tall. When planting, stalks should be spaced at least three feet and must be planted in moist, rich in humus and fertile soil. The soil must have a moderate acidity to weak acidity. Peak harvesting occurs when the fronds are not yet unfurled, but just beginning to open their coils attached to stalks in length between 8-20 inches. These cultivated spirals are a vivid green, wound tightly, with light brown flakes. After the fiddleheads are presented, the ostrich fern is allowed to reach maturity. In a few weeks, beautiful fronds resemble plumage or the feathers of an ostrich, hence the species’ name. If the external conditions can be met indoors, the fern makes for a low maintenance houseplant, providing an exotic feel to any room. This fern is ornamental and naturally fills the dampened dark parts of a person’s garden. Not only does the ostrich ferns retain leaves throughout the year, but it attracts butterflies and can offer a breathtaking backdrop for your flowers and yard.

Bracken Fern

The Bracken Fern is a plant of many benefits. Over the years this plant has been a high commodity for its many uses. Organic farmers use this plant to help keep unwanted weeds, pest out of their garden, but it is also a great biofuel as well.

No Room Here!

The Bracken Fern contains a content called allelopathic that aids organic farmers to have a great source of weed control in Spring without the use of chemical weed killers. In 2002 there were experimentations done to see whether this plant would be a viable option for the year. Success! Within days, farmers saw rapid results using this amazing plant. As they looked

at the soil fertility and weed density in autumn, it was apparent that this was a winner.

Get Out of My Garden!

Bracken yields various substances that repel insects away from the plant. This is another reason why organic farmers have chosen to use this protector of the garden. Experimentations have taken place to see the effects of these plant yielding substances, and over the years the turnip flea, beetle, and many others have lessened because of the fantastic properties of this plant.

This Should Heat things up

As a biofuel Bracken has been used for years, most likely for its high calorific value. Many biofuel companies are looking at this plant as the next biofuel for years to come. In Europe, where this plant grows in abundance. They are harvesting this plant to create the next biofuel through the ethanol properties this plant has. This plant is truly a diamond in the rough because of all its many uses this plant will continue to make the world of farming without pesticides a reachable goal as the world moves to better weed and pest control not to mention it's well on its way to being the next biofuel.

Wood Fern

The Wood Fern, also known as Shield Fern or Buckler Fern, is one of the easiest and most rewarding plants you can grow. The graceful green fronds will become a gorgeous backdrop to hostas, begonias or heucheras, turning a woodsy garden into a shaded, private nook. These ferns are perfect in a wild garden, giving unity to the various plantings. Alone or with other plantings, they are lovely, carefree foundation plants. They can be grown as specimen plants, in urns, or hanging baskets. When established, they will often spread by rhizomes into impressive clumps.

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dryopteridaceae

USDA Climate Zone: three to eight

Plant Height: most varieties are one to three feet, a few are taller

Plant Spread: most spread one to two feet, a few are wider

Soil Type: humus-rich soil

Sun: shade, partial sun

Wood Ferns are seldom bothered by diseases or insects. They may look delicate, but they are sturdy and adapt to most shady conditions, either wet or dry. Wood Ferns, as is true of most ferns, succeed in growing where most flowering plants will not. The mature size of the fern is often determined by the amount of water received. In dry soil, the fern is smaller. While they never need pruning, feel free to cut fronds to add to the bouquets you cut from your flower garden!

Rock Cap Polypody Fern

Rock Cap Polypody Fern – Polypodium Virginanum

As the name implies, the Rock Cap Polypody Fern is most often found growing atop rocks and tree roots in shady woodland and is commonly referred to by alternate names such as Common Polypody, Virginiana Polypody, and American Wall Fern. Native to the Northeastern U.S. and Canada and Eastern Asia, this fern is ideal for zones 3-8, where it is often recommended as an easy-to-grow plant. As an evergreen perennial, it will bring consistent richness to the shaded nooks of any garden, delighting viewers with its petal-shaped, vibrant green lobes, often tipped with paler green or hints of red. Fern enthusiasts will note the asymmetric lobe pattern and the triangular lobe at the tip of each frond, as well as its graceful cascading tendency. With fronds ranging from 6 to 12 inches in length and a clumping habit, the Rock Cap Polypody Fern can quickly fill in gaps beneath spreading trees or otherwise unsightly corners. It is best planted among mossy rocks or fallen rotting wood and will enhance any woodland display or rock garden. This fern prefers thin, well-drained soil ranging from neutral to acidic, and is extremely drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for areas with hot, dry summers, while its evergreen hardiness will ensure color through the winter months. Like many ferns, the Rock Cap Polypody reproduces by dust-sized spores rather than seeds, which are distributed by gentle winds. Gardeners in more rural areas should note that these ferns are favorite winter food for deer and wild turkeys (though not rabbits), and plan their placement accordingly. Excess moisture or poor drainage may make it difficult to establish initially, but once adapted the Rock Cap Polypody Fern will spread into large colonies that will provide a cascade of year-round color for minimal maintenance.