Homestead Farms Hardy Ferns

Graceful, ornamental and lush with its various shades of green best describe these hardy ferns. It's light and airy foliage adds different textures with other shade loving plants such as Hosta and Astible. Ferns are ideal for damp, low spots by fences, shady areas under trees and on the north side of the house. A woodsy location, with shade, moisture and organic soil high in leaf mold, is perfect for the majority of ferns. Plant shallow, wet down and mulch. Ferns are easily grown in moist soils and thrive where other plants fail.

FERN PICTURE (click on thumbnail for larger view)	COMMON NAME (Botanical name) COST	PLANT HARDINESS ZONE	FERN DESCRIPTION
	Autumn Fern (Dryopteris Erythsora) $7.00	Zone 5-9	Foliage color changes with season. Fronds emerge reddish bronze or coppery, turns green in summer and bronzy in the fall. Height 18" to 24"; spread 12" to 36".
	Christmas Fern (Polystichum Acrostichoides) $6.00	Zone 3-9	18"-24" evergreen. Extremely ornamental, used in Christmas decorations and by florists. It thrives in shade but will take some sun if kept damp.
	Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda Cinnamomea) currently unavailable $6.00	Zones 3-9	Very vigorous, likes a wet location. 2-5' tall, sun or shade. Roots very bulky.
	Clayton or Interrupted Fern (Osmunda Claytoniana) $6.00	Zones 2-8	Strong grower with attractive wooly fronds 2-4'. Will do well in full sun. Likes dry alkaline soil.
	Japanese Painted Fern (Arthyrium niponicum 'Pictum') $6.00	Zones 3-8	18" silver splashed green fronds with wine red stems. This beautiful fern shows its color best in partial shade in soil that is never soggy, nor completely dry. Pest free. Easy to grow.
	Lady Fern (Athyrium Filixemina) $6.00	Zones 3-8	2-3' bright yellow-green lacy fronds. Showy, vigorous. Likes partial shade in a moist, loamy, humus rich soil.
	Leatherwood Fern (Dryopteris Marginalis) $6.00	Zones 5-8	1-2' evergreen, shiny dark green fronds. Widely used by florists. Vigorous in moist soils, but not invasive. Prefers moist shady areas.
	Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum Pedatum) $6.00	Zones 3-8	Beautiful with feathery, circular fronds. Elegant and lacy. 12-18". Grows well in bright light, but no direct sun. Likes moist, rich organic soil.
	Ostrich Fern (Pteretis Nodulosa) currently unavailable $6.00	Zones 2-7	Bold grower, very showy, 2-5', must have a moist soil. Grows in sun or shade. Likes alkaline soil.
	Sensitive or Bead Fern (Onoclea Sensibilis) $6.00	Zones 2-8	A good ground cover not sensitive to touch. Fronds are short, stubby and not finely cut. 12" tall, moist soil in sun or shade.
	Woodfern (Dryopteris) $6.00	Zones 4-8	1-2' evergreen. A beautiful lacy fern easily grown in rich, moist soil. Likes semi-shade.