Polystichum aculeatum (Shield Fern) – Evergreen Fern (Set of 3 or 6)

A neat rosette of leathery, dark green fronds that stays put all year and asks for almost nothing.

The hard shield fern is one of the most useful evergreen ferns we grow. Its bipinnate fronds are firm and glossy rather than soft, so they hold their shape through winter when the rest of the border has gone over.

Use it to underplant roses and shrubs, or to give a shaded bed a quiet focal point. It wants shade and shelter, and soil that drains freely; unlike most ferns it dislikes sitting wet through the winter.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Hard shield fern, shield fern
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Forms a neat rosette. Our source does not give a final height for this variety.
• Growth Habit: Clump forming rosette of upright to arching fronds
• Perfect For: Underplanting roses and shrubs, shaded borders, containers
• Foliage: Leathery, dark green, bipinnate fronds, held all year
• Flowering Time: None. Ferns carry no flowers and spread by spores.
• Planting Position: Partial shade to full shade, sheltered from wind. Grows well in a container.
• Soil Type: Humus rich soil that drains freely. It resents sitting wet through winter, so avoid heavy, waterlogged ground.
• Hardiness: Fully hardy. It comes through a British winter outdoors without protection.
• Maintenance: Low. Cut away old or tired fronds in early spring before the new ones unfurl, and mulch in spring to hold moisture in.
• Seasonal Interest: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
• Type: Hardy evergreen fern