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Netted chain fern

Woodwardia areolata

Last reviewed: October 2026

Netted chain fern (Woodwardia areolata)
Photo: (c) Laura Clark, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Clark

Toxicity unknown

Netted chain fern (Woodwardia areolata) 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

high

Size

18"–48" H × 24"–48" W

Bloom

N/A

Native to

AL, AR, CT, DE and 25 more states

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

East Central Texas PlainsSouth Central PlainsEastern Temperate ForestsOzark HighlandsPiedmontNortheastern HighlandsNortheastern Coastal ZoneErie Drift PlainMiddle Atlantic Coastal PlainNorthern PiedmontSoutheastern PlainsBlue RidgeRidge and ValleyCentral AppalachiansWestern Allegheny PlateauInterior PlateauMississippi Alluvial PlainMississippi Valley Loess PlainsSouthern Coastal PlainAtlantic Coastal Pine Barrens

A colony-forming deciduous fern with broad, coarsely divided green fronds and netted veins, spreading slowly by creeping rhizomes in wet, acidic woodland soil.

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In an HOA neighborhood

Netted chain fern is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 4 out of 5.

Works well in: backyard, shade garden, rain garden.

  • Spreads by rhizomes in consistently wet soil

Wildlife value

Dense fronds give cover for amphibians and ground-nesting insects in wet woods and seeps. Not a nectar or host plant.

Common questions

How much sun does Netted chain fern need?
Netted chain fern grows best in part shade conditions.
Where is Netted chain fern native?
Netted chain fern (Woodwardia areolata) is native to AL, AR, CT, DE and 25 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
Is Netted chain fern HOA-friendly?
Netted chain fern is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.

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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