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16245 S US Hwy 71
Belton, MO 64012
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Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas Fern

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Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)

A native fern with beautiful glossy, deep-green, lance-shaped fronds. The fronds emerge upright and arch gently. They eventually lay down to cover the ground as they mature. It is one of the first ferns to emerge in spring and has hairy brown leaf stems and fiddleheads that emerge from its crown. This fern's common name comes from the fact that it was one of the few "greens" available to early pioneers for Christmas displays.

Additional Information:


Height
12-30 Inches

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Spread
18-24 Inches

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USDA Hardiness Zone 3-8

Home Owner Growing and Maintenance Tips:

Good Companions
Crested Iris (Iris cristata), New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), Black Cohosh (Actaea podocarpa), Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense), Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

Characteristics & Attributes

Hydrologic Designation

UPL

Season of Interest

Mid (May-June)
Early (Feb-Apr)
Winter (Nov-Mar)
Late (July-frost)

Soil Moisture

Moderate
Average

Special Features

Evergreen

Special Uses

Ground Cover

Sun Exposure

Shade

USFS MO Ecological Map

Wildlife Benefit

Cover