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Fiddle dock

Polystichum imbricans

Last reviewed: October 2026

Fiddle dock (Polystichum imbricans) is a perennial fern native to CA, OR, WA.

Fiddle dock (Polystichum imbricans)
Photo: (c) Ed Alverson, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Toxicity unknown

Fiddle dock (Polystichum imbricans) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part shade

Water

low

Size

12"–24" H × 12"–24" W

Bloom

N/A

Native to

CA, OR, WA

Before you buy

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast RangePuget LowlandMarine West Coast ForestNorthwestern Forested MountainsSierra NevadaCentral California Foothills and Coastal MountainsSouthern California MountainsNorth American DesertsSouthern California/Northern Baja Coast

Clump-forming evergreen fern with narrow, leathery, dark green fronds arching from a central crown, growing in rocky outcrops and on dry shaded slopes beneath conifers. More drought-tolerant than most sword ferns.

Growing Fiddle dock

Grow Fiddle dock in part shade and low water. Mature plants reach 12 to 24 inches tall and spread 12 to 24 inches wide.

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Wildlife value

Evergreen fronds provide year-round ground-level shelter for small invertebrates. Not a floral resource since ferns do not produce flowers.

Common questions

How much sun does Fiddle dock need?
Fiddle dock grows best in part shade conditions.
Where is Fiddle dock native?
Fiddle dock (Polystichum imbricans) is native to CA, OR, WA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). 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.

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