Woodwardia areolata

Common Names

Netted Chain Fern, Chain Fern, Netted Chainfern

Summary

Woodwardia areolata, the Netted Chain Fern, is native to eastern North America and forms spreading colonies by creeping rhizomes, it grows in shady, moist habitats such as woodland swamps and bogs, with fronds emerging pinkish in spring and reaching about 1–2 feet tall, sterile fronds are pinnatifid with 8–10 pairs of lance-shaped pinnae, while fertile fronds appear in summer with narrower divisions, and sori form chain-like rows, giving a net-like venation pattern, hardy in USDA zones 3a–9b, it prefers acidic, moist to wet soils in part to full shade, tolerating some sun if moisture is consistently available, it spreads by rhizomes and can naturalize into large colonies, making it suitable as ground cover in shade gardens, along streams or ponds, and in bog or native plantings, it is low maintenance and can be propagated by spores or rhizome division.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

12-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Partial Shade to Full Shade

Soil Type

Moist, acidic, well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil pH

5.5-7.0, Acidic to neutral soil

Bloom Color

Green

Bloom Time

Non-flowering.

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium growth rate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Spores, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts songbirds