Thelypteris normalis
It is a fast-growing, deciduous North American native fern with light-green upright fronds that form a dense colony spread by rhizomes, thriving in moist or dry shade, and belonging to Thelypteridaceae, a group with a long history of taxonomic reclassification, first published in 1920.
Common Names
Southern Shield Fern, Knuth's Maiden Fern, Southern Wood Fern
Summary
Thelypteris normalis is a North American native fern that grows to about 2–3 feet tall and wide, with light green upright fronds that spread by rhizomes to form a dense colony. It has an open fountain-shaped habit, naturalizes nicely with understory natives, and thrives in both wet and dry shade; it is deciduous and hardy in USDA zones 6–10.
It prefers moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic soils and should be watered deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish a broad root system; once established, regular moisture is preferred but drier soils are tolerable. Fertilize frequently during the growing season and cut back old fronds in spring as new growth begins. It tolerates a wide range of light from sun to full shade, is deer and rabbit resistant, and provides erosion control; suitable for border plantings or mass plantings in shaded landscapes. It can be propagated by rhizome division, and spacing is about 4 feet for borders or 3 feet for mass plantings.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
2-3 feet
Spread
24-36 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 6a-10b
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally partial shade to partial sun (3–6 hours of direct sunlight).
Soil Type
Moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
slightly acidic to alkaline
Bloom Time
No bloom season
Foliage Color
Light Green
Fall Foliage Color
Yellow
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Propagation Methods
Division
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (C.Chr.) Moxley
- Publication
- Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 19: 57. 1920
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Polypodiophyta
- Class
- Polypodiopsida
- Subclass
- Polypodiidae
- Order
- Polypodiales
- Family
- Thelypteridaceae
- Subfamily
- Thelypteridoideae
- Genus
- Thelypteris
Synonyms
Cyclosorus kunthii Thelypteris kunthii Thelypteris saxatilis Thelypteris unca Dryopteris normalis Nephrodium kunthii Thelypteris macrorhizoma Filix-mas augescens var. normalis Lastrea normalis Dryopteris saxatilis Dryopteris unca Dryopteris normalis f. austro-brasiliensis Lastrea kunthii Christella normalis