Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
A tough evergreen fern that holds its green fronds through winter and grips a shady slope.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Evergreen
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- Cinnamon Fern
Bright green fronds
Fern
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
A bold architectural fern for wet shade, with cinnamon-colored fertile fronds in spring.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwest
Growing Cinnamon Fern
Forms majestic vase-shaped clumps along streams and in bog gardens. Birds line nests with the cinnamon fibers. It’s deer-resistant.
Where it grows
Cinnamon Fern is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kentucky and 24 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Cinnamon Fern on 34 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Cinnamon Fern
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Cinnamon Fern’s range and conditions.
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Big lacy flower heads in summer give way to purple-black berries for both birds and your kitchen.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
A bulletproof hedge shrub with white spring flowers, blue fall berries, and burgundy autumn leaves.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
The towering 'turkey-foot' grass that once defined the tallgrass prairie, head-high by fall.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color