Deer Fern

Common Names

Deer Fern, Hard Fern

Summary

Blechnum spicant is an evergreen fern, commonly called hard fern or deer fern, with a tufted, clump-forming habit that grows about 0.1–0.5 m tall and 0.3–0.9 m wide, and exhibits dimorphism with dark green evergreen sterile fronds forming a rosette and taller upright fertile fronds with narrower pinnae; sori appear on the undersides as round orange-brown structures. Prefers cool, moist, shaded sites and acidic to neutral soils, tolerating clay or loam and a range of moisture conditions from moist to wet; can be propagated by spores or division, and is generally pest- and disease-free; commonly used as ground cover or underplanting in woodland, shade borders, rock gardens, or containers, with winter hardiness to USDA Zone 5 and deer and rabbit resistance.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

4-19.5 inches

Spread

4-20 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-8

Sunlight Requirements

Partial shade to full shade.

Soil Type

Acidic, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil (clay or loam).

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained soil

Soil pH

Acid to neutral soil (pH acidic to neutral)

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Blechnum spicant does not bloom; it has no flowering season.

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Semi-deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Propagation Methods

Spores, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees and other pollinators