Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Last reviewed: August 2026
Polystichum acrostichoides, or Christmas fern, keeps its glossy green fronds through winter, making it a reliable evergreen groundcover for shaded gardens and woodland borders.
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs or cats (aspca.org (opens in new tab), last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part shade
Water
medium
Size
12"–36" H × 12"–24" W
Bloom
N/A
Native to
AL, AR, CT, DE and 30 more states
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Christmas fern is a classic evergreen native fern that forms neat, arching clumps of dark green fronds. It stays attractive year-round and thrives in shaded areas where many other plants struggle. This reliable perennial requires minimal care once established.
Growing Christmas Fern
Grow Christmas Fern in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 12 to 36 inches tall and spread 12 to 24 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Christmas Fern is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 4 out of 5.
Works well in: front yard, foundation, mid zone.
Wildlife value
Christmas fern provides shelter and nesting material for small wildlife and birds. The evergreen fronds offer year-round habitat structure in shaded woodland gardens.
Common questions
- Does Christmas fern flower?
- No. Christmas fern is a fern and does not produce flowers or seeds. It reproduces by spores released from spore cases on the undersides of its fertile fronds.
- Why is it called Christmas fern?
- The common name comes from its evergreen fronds, which stay green and upright through winter, often still visible around the Christmas holiday season.
- How much light does Christmas fern need?
- It grows best in part shade to full shade, though it can tolerate a few hours of morning sun if soil moisture is adequate.
- How much water does Christmas fern need?
- It prefers medium, consistently moist soil but can tolerate drier conditions once its root system is established.
- Is Christmas Fern toxic to dogs?
- Christmas Fern is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs (aspca.org).
- Is Christmas Fern toxic to cats?
- Christmas Fern is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for cats (aspca.org).
- Is Christmas Fern HOA-friendly?
- Christmas Fern is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
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