Dryopteris intermedia

Common Names

Intermediate Wood Fern, Evergreen Wood Fern, Evergreen Woodfern, Intermediate Woodfern, Fancy Fern, Fancy Wood Fern, Common Wood Fern, Glandular Wood Fern, American Shield Fern, Intermediate Shield Fern, Evergreen Wood-fern

Summary

Dryopteris intermedia, commonly called Intermediate Wood Fern or Evergreen Wood Fern, is an evergreen fern native to eastern North America. It forms medium-sized clumps of lacy green fronds arising from a thick, densely scaled rhizome, typically reaching 1–3 ft tall and 2–3 ft wide, with fronds about 13–35 inches long and 4–10 inches wide. The fronds are evergreen through mild winters, deeply dissected with toothed bristle-tipped pinnules, and sori appear on the undersides of fertile fronds in early to mid-summer. It favors moist woodland habitats such as moist rocky woods, ravines, swamp margins, and rocky slopes, and thrives in soils rich in humus, tolerating rocky soils if moisture is maintained and preferring shade to part shade in acidic to neutral soils. In cultivation, provide shade and moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter; crown rot can occur in poorly drained locations, so avoid wet sites. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–8 and propagates by division in spring or by spores; pruning removes dead or damaged fronds and maintenance is generally low with few pest or disease issues. Groundcover and landscape uses include native or shade gardens, woodlands, mass plantings, rock gardens, cottage or wood land borders, and containers, with plants typically growing in clumps and adding evergreen foliage for year-round interest.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1-3 feet

Spread

12-36 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade to full shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained loam soil rich in organic matter

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained

Soil pH

6.0-6.0, Acidic to neutral soil

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Does not bloom in any season

Foliage Color

Green (evergreen foliage)

Fall Foliage Color

Green (evergreen)

Leaf Lifecycle

Other

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Division, Spores

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds (seasonal; winter forage for Spruce Grouse and Ruffed Grouse)