woodland fern

Marginal wood fern

Dryopteris marginalis

Native to much of the USA and southern Canada

New England to eastern Ontario, south to Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Kansas. Eastern North America, Zones 5 to 7.

In the garden

A woodland fern for part to full shade and evenly moist soil. Hardy in USDA zones 3–8.

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Find your zone:

Habitat: WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (32): AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV. Canada (4): NB, NL, NS, ON. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: New England to eastern Ontario, south to Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Kansas. Eastern North America, Zones 5 to 7.The same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Light: Part shade to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 3–8 · Canadian 3–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Moist, rocky, acidic, humus-rich soil. Tolerates limeThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: Acid to neutralThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Water use: Medium to highHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.

Spread: ~1 ft (0.3 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.