Polystichum acrostichoides

Description

Polystichum acrostichoides is a superb evergreen fern from North America where it is commonly known as the Christmas fern due to its attractive foliage, the fronds often being used as decoration during the festive period. Being from North America Polystichum acrostichoides is generally hardy throughout the U.K being an easy to cultivate fern for shady positions in the garden. Like all ferns the Christmas fern benefits from a moist fertile soil and addition of good compost and fertiliser when planting. The fronds which can be up to 80cm long have simple pinnate leaflets along the central spine and are a lush dark green in colour.

We like this fern because of it’s neat fairly compact habit, medium size when mature, good evergreen habit and unfussy nature being easy to grow.