Polystichum Christmas Fern
Best low-maintenance evergreen for shade gardeners seeking deer-resistant erosion control.
This evergreen native is the ultimate low-effort solution for filling dark, neglected corners of your landscape. While it won't offer the flashy blooms of a perennial, its year-round, deer-resistant foliage provides a reliable, structural backbone that thrives where other plants simply give up.
$20.95
Who it's for
- Low-maintenance landscapers wanting a reliable, long-lived native groundcover
- Gardeners seeking year-round color in dormant shade spaces
- Homeowners living in areas with high deer and rabbit populations
Who should skip it
- Impatient gardeners looking for rapid, full-coverage results
- People managing dry, sandy, or drought-prone garden beds
- Busy homeowners who prefer a strictly hands-off landscape
Performance breakdown
Year-round aesthetic
Evergreen foliage provides consistent visual interest throughout the dormant winter months.
Maintenance effort
Requires minimal intervention once established in a suitable shady environment.
Wildlife resilience
Natural deer resistance protects your investment from common garden pests.
Environmental adaptability
Thrives in diverse soil conditions and handles occasional moisture fluctuations well.
Erosion control
Clumping growth habit effectively stabilizes soil on slopes and shaded banks.
Growth pace
Slow development requires patience for the plant to reach full maturity.
Key Specs
SKU
44447-PK-3
Genus
Polystichum
Species
acrostichoides
Item Form
Bareroot
Foliage Color
Medium Green
Habit
Mound-shaped
Light Requirements
Part Shade, Full Shade
Moisture Requirements
Moist, well-drained, Wet
Mature Height
24 inches
Mature Spread
18 inches
Know before you buy
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Ask Metto anything about the Polystichum Christmas Fern before you decide.