Deer Fern
The deer fern is one of our favorite Pacific Northwest Natives. With is beautiful elegant evergreen foliage and strikingly textured fertile fronds it is an easy, low maintenance fern to throw in the shade garden for added texture. Deer Ferns grow all along the west coast from Alaska down to Northern California and prefer some shade, acidic soil and soils high in organic matter though they are adaptable to many different soils types and solar aspects to an extent. Deer fern deserves to be more widely planted in our cultivated landscapes!
Latin Name: Blechnum spicant
Site and Soil: Full to 1/2 day sun to almost full shade and well-drained soil. Plants are very drought resistant once they are established.
Pollination Requirements: Self-fertile.
Hardiness: Deer is hardy to minus 30° F.
Size at Maturity: 12-24 inches in height
Pests & Diseases: We have not seen this plant be bothered by pests or diseases.
USDA Zone: 4-8