Marginal Wood Fern
Dryopteris marginalis
Also known as: Leather Wood Fern
A sturdy, neat vase of leathery, deep blue-green fronds that remain evergreen through winter, forming a reliable focal point in shaded gardens. Exceptionally drought-tolerant once established, thriving on rocky slopes and beneath mature tree canopies where other ferns struggle.
- Family
- Dryopteridaceae
- Type
- fern
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 1.5–2 ft
- Spacing
- 1.5–2 ft apart
- Light
- part shade, shade
- Soil moisture
- moist
- Soil pH
- acidic
- Wildlife value
- songbirds
- Landscape uses
- border, naturalizing
- Native states
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV
Related native plants
More Dryopteris species
- Intermediate Wood Fern (Dryopteris intermedia)
- Spinulose Wood Fern (Dryopteris carthusiana)
- Spreading Wood Fern (Dryopteris expansa)
- Crested Wood Fern (Dryopteris cristata)
- Log Fern (Dryopteris celsa)
- Southern Wood Fern (Dryopteris ludoviciana)