Hay Scented Fern

Dennstaedtia

Dennstaedtia punctilobula ( Hay Scented Fern )
A beautiful, rhizomatous, fast spreading deciduous Fern, reaching up to 3 x 8 feet, that is native to open woods and sandy meadows in eastern North America ( from southeast Missouri to southern Wisconsin to Jackson, Michigan to Lions Head, Ontario to Haliburton, Ontario to southern Quebec to Newfoundland; south to Arkansas to northern Georgia to North Carolina ). It is critically endangered in Michigan with a single population in Jackson County. It is also endangered in Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas.
The thin textured, hairy fronds, up to 52 x 12 ( rarely over 36 ) inches, are oblong in outline and bright green, turning to yellow in autumn.
It can spread invasively but is also an excellent groundcover when used over large areas such as a woodland understory.
Hardy zones 2 to 8, in partial to full shade on moist, acidic soil. Tolerates sun.
Deer resistant.

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.

* photos taken on May 16 2013 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on May 19 2013 in Columbia, MD
* photos taken on Aug 3 2014 @ National Zoo, Washington, DC

* photos taken on on Aug 26 2014 in Towson, MD

* photos taken on May 30 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 13 2016 in Reisterstown, MD

* photo taken on Aug 20 2016 in Olney, MD

* photo taken on Sep 25 2016 near Reisterstown, MD

* photo taken on June 25 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 16 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 13 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 2 2019 @ Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, Laurel, MD

* photo taken on July 27 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 24 2019 in Columbia, MD

Dennstaedtia hirsuta ( Asian Hay Scented Fern )
Very similar to D. punctilobula, except that it is native to eastern Asia ( from central China to far eastern Russia; south to Korea, Japan and Taiwan ) rather than North America. It is a rhizomatous spreader that can reach up to 2 x 4 feet in 5 years, eventually to 7 feet across.
The foliage is bright green.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 ( likely 3 ).

* photo taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


* photos taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on Sep 3 2017 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.