Christmas Fern plant profile
Polystichum acrostichoides
A perennial fern for shade.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Christmas Fern
Christmas fern is an evergreen shade fern whose silvery fiddleheads emerge in spring; it spreads very slowly. NC State's recommended way to propagate it is by division, so set out plants or divisions in spring as new growth appears.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Christmas Fern in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Shade
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Spacing
- 12 to 36 in apart
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a to 9bFind my hardiness zone
Next steps
Continue with Christmas Fern
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (NC State Extension). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.