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FernsHerbaceous Perennial

Dryopteris clintoniana

Clinton's wood fern

A tall, robust fern producing a clump of slightly arched, dark green, lance-shaped fronds, up to 1m long, composed of many narrow pinnae slightly twisted on the stem to leave gaps between them

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or South–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Dryopteridaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Dryopteris can be deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen ferns, with stout, erect or decumbent rhizomes and shuttlecock-like rosettes of lance-shaped to ovate, pinnately divided fronds
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Best in deep, fertile, well-drained, humus-rich soil in full or partial shade, with protection from cold, drying winds. See hardy fern cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by sowing spores as soon as ripe, or by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required, but can remove and dead or damaged fronds as required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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