Ferns – Sunshine Or Shade Varieties

Q: What are the names of the two ferns you recommended on radio that will “grow anywhere, sun or shade”?

A: I love autumn fern, Dryopteris erythrosora, and Southern shield fern, Thelypteris kunthii. Autumn fern is evergreen. It sends up beautiful purple fiddleheads each spring to replace the fronds that were tattered by winter weather. Southern shield fern is amazingly drought resistant but it does die back to the ground after the first frost. The Perimeter College Ferns of the World Garden, in south DeKalb County, has an amazing collection of ferns and native plants. They have regular fern and native plant sales. Details at bit.ly/ferngarden.