(Lucky Bamboo)

Lucky bamboo is not a bamboo but a Dracaena just like the popular houseplant called a corn plant. It is native to the rainforest of Cameroon in Africa and is an evergreen shrub with upright cane-like stems. The canes hold widely spaced, wavy, lance-shaped leaves with white strips and margins. Many cultivars have green leaves or other colors and patterns of variegation.

Dracaena sanderiana has been used as an interior foliage plant for decades, most often in combinations with other plants...

(Golden-scaled Fern)

Golden-scaled fern is a medium sized, semi-evergreen fern with arching dark green fronds that have golden brown scales. It is native to Europe and southwestern Asia, eastward to the Himalayas. The fronds emerge pale green with golden brown midribs as they unroll from the central crown of leaves above the upright rhizome. At the base of each pinna (or leaflet) on the frond is a dark spot.

Alhough this fern excels with shade and moist soil, it will tolerate sunnier conditions if the soil does not...

(Golden-scaled Fern, The King Golden-scaled Fern)

Golden-scaled fern is a medium sized semi-evergreen fern with arching dark green fronds that have golden brown scales. Considered the most beautiful of this species' cultivars, it is native from Europe to southern Asia and also known as 'Cristata The King'.

Even though this fern prefers shade and moist soil, golden-scaled fern will tolerate sunnier and slightly windier conditions if the soil never dries out completely. Add organic matter to the soil when planting this fern. It makes an excellent...

(Shaggy Shield Fern)

Shaggy shield fern is a semi-evergreen fern with an erect rhizome producing green fronds with dark brown scales. It is native to much of eastern Asia, from northern India eastward into China and Japan.

Like most ferns, it performs best in shade and moist soil, though once established will do well in partial sun and drier conditions. Shaggy shield fern makes an excellent addition to the woodland garden, a shaded rockery, along the edge of a bog, or in a mixed border.

(Leatherwood Fern, Narrow Buckler Fern, Toothed Wood Fern)

A delicate fern for woodland gardens and shaded dells, the toothed wood fern offers finely divided, light green to yellow-green fronds with distinctive stems covered with soft, brown scales. This deciduous perennial is native to the northernmost reaches of Europe and Asia. It is clump-forming and slowly spreads via creeping rhizomes (underground stems). In summer, its fertile fronds develop round, brown, spore-bearing “sori” that dot the undersides of the leaves in two rows along the pinnae, or leaflets....

(Log Fern)

Native to the moist woodlands of the southeastern United States, log fern is a semi-evergreen perennial that is typically found on moist slopes, swamps and rotting logs. The species name, “celsa”, means tall and upright, so it should come as no surprise that this fern has long, firm fronds that are held upright. These are lined with glossy, finely cut , medium to dark green pinnae, or leaflets. In summer, its fertile fronds develop round, light tan, spore-bearing “sori” that dot the undersides of...

(Crested Wood Fern)

Crested wood fern is a semi-evergreen, clump-forming perennial that flourishes in moist, swampy ground as well as moist upland soils. This woodland fern is distinguished by its upright fronds with sparsely spaced pinnae, or leaflets, which are held at a tilt along the leaf stem. It has a very broad natural distribution. Native populations can be found across the whole of the northern hemisphere from North America to Europe, Russia and other parts of northern Asia.

DDespite the epithet “cristata”,...

(Black Wood Fern, Shaggy Wood Fern)

Native to the fertile mountain slopes of Japan, China and the Himalayas, black wood fern is prized for its evenly distributed, flattened fronds that sprawl outward in a radial clump that’s comparable to that of a cycad. This hardy, evergreen fern is a clumping perennial that thrives where summer temperatures are cool and moderate.

The long, flattened fronds of this fern are leathery, dark green and lined with one set of toothed pinnae, or leaflets. Ferns with one set of pinnae are referred to...

(Autumn Fern, Copper Shield Fern)

The colorful autumn fern is a winter deciduous fern native to China and Japan. The glossy fronds emerge coppery-red in spring, turn green in summer, and rusty brown in fall. The overall shape of the frond is like a triangular wedge. In winter the fronds' undersides have red sori (spore bearing structures).

Like most ferns, it excels in shade and moist soil, making it ideal for the woodland wildflower garden and mixed border. It is best in garden pockets with higher humidity and protection from...

(Autumn Fern, Copper Shield Fern, Japanese Shield Fern)

Autumn fern is a semi-evergreen (usually deciduous) fern native to China and Japan. The glossy fronds of 'Brilliance' emerge coppery-orange in spring, turn green in summer, and rusty brown in fall. In winter the undersides of the fronds have red sori (spore bearing structures). Overall, this cultivar is much showier than regular autumn fern and is a low maintenace fern for gardens.

Autumn fern prefers shade and moist acidy soil, making it ideal for the woodland garden and mixed border. 'Brilliance'...