Deer Fern

Blechnum

Blechnum brasiliense
A fast growing, large fern, that eventually forms a trunk up to 3 feet high, with leaves up to 36 x 15 inches. It is native to Peru and Brazil.
Hardy zones 9 to 12.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photos taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

Blechnum chilense
A fast growing to invasive fern, reaching up to 6 feet in height, eventually spreading to form extensive colonies.
The very large fronds are up to 80 x 16 inches in size.
Hardy zones 8 to 9

Blechnum discolor
A very ornamental fern that eventually forms a trunk up to 1 foot in height producing a plant with a 3 foot total height. This fern eventually spreads to produce large colonies of rosettes.
The bright green radiating fronds are up to 36 x 6 inches in size.
It thrives in partial to full shade ( even full sun if soil is continually very moist )

Blechnum fluviatile
A fern native to New Zealand and southern Australia, that spreads to eventually form extensive colonies of rosettes. The fronds are up to 28 inches in length.
Hardy zones 8 to 9 in full shade.

* photo of unknown internet source


Blechnum gibbum
A fern native to Fiji, that eventually forms a trunk up to 2 feet high.
The leaves are up to 3 feet in length.
Hardy zones 10 to 12

* photo of unknown internet source

* photo taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

Blechnum magellanicum
A very large fern with pinnate fronds up to 5 x 1 foot in size, that are mid-green.
It is one of the worlds most attractive ferns.

Blechnum nudum
A vigorous spreading fern, that is native to southeastern Australia.
The fronds are up to 3 feet in length.
Hardy zones 9 to 10

Blechnum orientale
A vigorous fern, forming a trunk up to 3 feet in height, that is native to the Himalayas, China and southeast Asia.
The 1-pinnate leaves, up to 5 x 3 feet, are divided into leaflets up to 8 inches in length.

Blechnum penna-marina ( Dwarf Hard Fern )
A fast growing, rhizomatous fern native to southern South America, New Zealand and southern Australia, that eventually forms extensive mats up to 5 feet wide due to its creeping rhizomes. It makes an excellent groundcover and thrives in coastal British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest and milder parts of western Europe. The Dwarf Hard Fern reaches a maximum height of only 1 foot.
The narrow fronds, up to 8 inches in length, are deep green.
Hardy zones 8 to 9 ( 7 on protected sites ).

Blechnum spicant ( Deer Fern )
A compact, rhizomatous, evergreen fern, reaching up to 20 x inches x 3.3 feet ( very rarely 3 feet in height ), that is native to the northwest U.S. ( from Kodiak, Alaska to southeast British Columbia; south to northern California ) and also in Eurasia. It makes a very attractive landscape plant that looks especially good planted with large boulder.
The sturdy, narrow, lance-shaped leathery fronds, up to 42 x 6 ( usually half that ) are glossy deep green.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 ( only hardiest seed source hardy north of zone 5 ) in partial to full shade on humus-rich, moist, acidic, well drained soil. The Deer Fern will tolerate some sun if the soil is consistently moist. It is not eaten by deer. This Fern is very low maintenance but old tired fronds can be removed during spring when the new fronds appear to give the plant a fresher appearance.

* photo of unknown internet source

* historical archive photo

'Serratum'
Densely arranged, deeply-toothed leaflets.

Blechnum tabulare
A fern, reaching up to 3 x 4 feet.
Hardy zones 8 to 9

* photo of unknown internet source


RELATED PLANTS

Asplenium

Asplenium antiquum
A very attractive large Fern that is native to Okinawa in Japan where it is endangered with extinction. It is very similar in appearance to A. nidus.
It makes a great landscape plant for subtropical climates.
The leathery non-divided, oblanceolate fronds are up to 40 x 4.8 inches in size.
Hardy zones 9 to 10.

* historic archive photo

Asplenium bulbiferum ( Mother Fern )
An attractive, moderate growing, evergreen fern, reaching a maximum size of 4 x 4 ( rarely over 2 x 3 ) feet in size, that is native to humid regions of Australia and New Zealand.
Hardy zones 9 to 10.

Asplenium kaulfussii

* photo taken on Aug 25 2014 @ U.S. Botanical Gardens, Washington, DC

Asplenium nidus ( Birds Nest Fern )
A moderate growing, large Fern with non-divided oblanceolate fronds, up to 5 feet x 8 inches. The foliage is glossy bright green. It is native to subtropical and tropical southeast Asia as well as northern Queensland in Australia. It is often grown in cooler regions as an indoor plant.
Hardy zones 10 to 12 in partial to full shade in humid warm climates.
It will often grow on the trunks of trees.

* photos taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

'Osaka'

* photo taken on Aug 15 2014 @ Rawlings Conservatory, Baltimore, MD

Asplenium platyneuron ( Ebony Spleenwort )
An evergreen fern, reaching up to 1.5 feet in height, that is native to sandy upland woods and rock outcrops in central & eastern North America ( from southeast Colorado to southeast Minnesota to Dyer's Bay, Ontario to Ottawa, Ontario to southeast Quebec & Maine; south to central Texas to south Florida...it is also native to Manitoulin Island in Ontario ). It was abundant in the Ohio lakeshore region before 1900.
The fronds are up to 20 x 2.3 inches in size.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 in partial to full shade on dry or moist, acidic or alkaline, well drained soil. Easy to grow and transplant.

* photos taken on Sep 18 2016 @ Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, MD

* photo taken on Apr 14 2017 @ Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, MD

* photos taken on July 9 2023 @ Scenic Caves, Collingwood, ON

Asplenium resiliens ( Blackstem Spleenwort )
A fern that is very similar to A. platyneuron. it is native to the southern U.S. ( from southern Nevada to southeast Utah to southeast Colorado to southeast Kansas to southern Illinois to far southern Ohio to south-central Pennsylvania; south to the Mexico border to central Texas to central Louisiana to central Alabama to far north-central Florida to central Virginia. It also has an isolated occurrance in Delaware. During 2019 it was found growing naturally in Adams County Ohio, it was last seen in Ohio in 1900. It is critically endangered in NV, UT, CO, KN, ILL, IN, PA, MD,NC, SC & MS. Threatened in WV. Extinct in LA.
The leaves, up to 18 inches long, are mid-green to blue-green and leathery.

* photos taken by Patrick J. Alexander @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Asplenium ruta-muraria ( Wall Rue )
A fern native to eastern North America ( from southeast Missouri to southern Ohio to eastern Ontario to southern Quebec to Massachusetts; south to northern Arkansas to central Alabama to central Maryland...it is also native to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Manitoulin Island and around Tobermory, Ontario. It is usually found on rock walls and crevices in the wild. It is also native to Eurasia.
Hardy zones 4 to 7, preferring shade or north facing stone walls but tolerating sun in cool summer climates.

* wikipedia photo

Asplenium scolopendrium ( Hart's-tongue Fern )
Also called Phyllitis scolopendrium. A very attractive, rhizomatous, evergreen fern, up to 3 feet across, that is native to eastern North America ( the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, southern Ontario, New York State, New Jersey & Maryland ) where it is endangered. A separate population occurs in south-central Tennessee and northern Alabama. In Ontario it is most abundant in Bruce and Gray Counties but also occurs in Dufferin, western Simcoe, Peel and Halton Counties as well as south-central Bruce County away from the escarpment. It has declined in Ontario, Canada with many populations disappearing, especially towards the eastern part of the escarpment. Before 1900; it was common locally in rich woods near Amherstburg as well as along the Ohio shoreline. It is also native from the British Isles to western Asia. It is most often found on moist forested cliffs.
The erect, leathery, oblanceolate fronds, up to 24 x 3 inches, are glossy bright green.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in partial to full shade on moist, light, humus-rich, well drained soil. Remove old fronds during early spring to make room for the new growth.

* photos of unknown internet source

* historic archive photo

'Giganteum'
Moderate growing, with larger fronds, up to 36 x 4 inches in size.

Asplenium serrulatum ( Caribbean Nest Fern )
A very attractive, rhizomatous, fast growing tropical Fern, reaching up to 5 feet, that is native to central and southern Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico to South America. It makes a great groundcover for the edges of ponds and marshes.
The leaves are up to 30 x 3 inches in size.
Hardy zones 8 to 11 in full sun to partial shade on moist to wet acidic soil. It is salt tolerant.

Asplenium trichomanes ( Green Spleenwort )
A slow growing, evergreen fern, reaching up to 1 x 1 foot in 5 years, eventually up to 1.3 x 1.3 feet, that is native to both western North America ( from Juneau, Alaska to north-central British Columbia to Jasper National Park, Alberta; south to far northern California to Arizona to northern New Mexico ) and eastern North America ( from Kenora, Ontario to the north shore of Lake Superior to Haileybury, Ontario to Labrador & Newfoundland; south to central Oklahoma to central Alabama to central North Carolina ). It is usually found on moist, shady cliffs and rocky upland forest. It was abundant on the Ohio lakeshore region before 1900.
The fronds are up to 16 x 0.7 ( rarely over 10 ) inches in size. They are composed of narrow pinnate fronds composed of oval to rounded leaflets.
Hardy zones 2 to 7 in partial to full shade on fertile, well drained soil. It is drought tolerant once established.

* photos taken on July 9 2023 @ Scenic Caves, Collingwood, ON

* historical archive photo