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Virginia chain fern

Woodwardia virginica

Last reviewed: October 2026

Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica) is a perennial fern native to AL, AR, CT, DC and 25 more states.

Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica)
Photo: (c) Hungry-Sarracenia Photo, some rights reserved (CC BY)

Toxicity unknown

Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica) 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 sun

Water

high

Size

24"–48" H × 24"–48" W

Bloom

N/A

Native to

AL, AR, CT, DC and 25 more states

Before you buy

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Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 460 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

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A large deciduous fern with upright, once-cut fronds that emerge bronze-red and mature to yellow-green on dark wiry stalks. It runs steadily by deep rhizome to form open colonies rather than tight clumps, and needs acidic, permanently wet ground such as a bog edge or pond margin.

Growing Virginia chain fern

Grow Virginia chain fern in part sun and high water. Mature plants reach 24 to 48 inches tall and spread 24 to 48 inches wide.

Wildlife value

Colonies provide dense low cover and egg-laying sites for amphibians at water margins. Ferns reproduce by spores and offer no nectar or pollen.

Common questions

How much sun does Virginia chain fern need?
Virginia chain fern grows best in part sun conditions.
Where is Virginia chain fern native?
Virginia chain fern (Woodwardia virginica) is native to AL, AR, CT, DC and 25 more states, 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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