Dryopteris 'The King' (Scaly Male Fern) – Hardy Fern (2L Pot)

A big, bold scaly male fern with crested frond tips, the one to plant where you want presence.

'The King' makes a strong upright shuttlecock of long green fronds whose tips split and ruffle, so a single plant reads as a piece of structure rather than just foliage. It is a good anchor for a shaded border or the darker end of a courtyard.

Each plant is supplied as a fresh, well established 2L root ball, grown in peat free compost. They are larger and more mature than plugs, so they arrive fully rooted and ready to go straight into the ground or a pot.

Plant it in partial to full shade in soil that holds moisture, water it through the first season, and cut old fronds back in early spring.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Scaly male fern
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Our source gives a range for these hardy ferns rather than a figure for this one: 20cm to 1.2m tall and 20cm to 90cm wide, depending on the fern.
• Growth Habit: Upright shuttlecock with arching fronds
• Perfect For: Shaded borders, understorey planting, containers, courtyards, stonework edges and woodland gardens
• Foliage: Long green fronds with crested, ruffled tips and scaly stems
• Flowering Time: None. Ferns carry no flowers and spread by spores.
• Planting Position: Partial shade to full shade, sheltered from wind in soil that stays moist. Grows well in a container.
• Soil Type: Moist, humus rich soil that drains freely.
• Hardiness: Fully hardy. It comes through a British winter outdoors without protection.
• Maintenance: Very low. Tidy old fronds away as needed.
• Seasonal Interest: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
• Type: Hardy semi-evergreen fern

Free UK Delivery on Every Order

All orders placed Monday–Thursday before 2pm are packed the next working day and delivered within 24 hours of dispatch.

Example: Order on Monday → packed Tuesday → delivered Wednesday.

Orders placed Friday–Sunday are packed and shipped on Monday. We don't dispatch on weekends to ensure your plants travel fresh.

How Your Plants Arrive
Every plant is individually wrapped in our plastic-free packaging and secured in a custom box designed to keep them upright and protected in transit. If anything arrives damaged, get in touch — we'll replace it.

Returns
Not happy? Contact us within 14 days of delivery and we'll sort it out. See our full returns policy here.