Dryopteris sieboldii

Common Names

Siebold's Wood Fern, Asian Wood Fern

Summary

Siebold's Wood Fern is native to Japan and China and is an evergreen to semi-evergreen fern with a short creeping rhizome that forms tidy clumps, featuring leathery bluish-green fronds that are 1-pinnate and broadly oblong to ovate, with fronds often described as resembling holly and able to arch as they mature in woodland settings. In its natural habitats of woods and mountain forest floors, it remains evergreen and offers a tropical look with bold fronds in shaded, moist environments.

For cultivation, it tolerates USDA zones 6–9 and prefers part shade to full shade with evenly moist, well-drained soil; some drought tolerance is noted once established; propagation can occur by spores or division; commonly grown as a container plant or in woodland shade borders to provide year-round interest.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

1-3 feet

Spread

2-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade

Soil Type

Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained, moist soil.

Soil pH

Mildly acidic to neutral, pH 6

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Does not bloom.

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow growth; faster in warm, shady environments and markedly slower in cooler climates.

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Spores and Division