Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
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Christmas Fern - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Fast, Safe Plant Delivery
Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected
| Under $50 | $9.99 |
| $50 - $99.99 | $14.99 |
| $100 - $149.99 | $16.99 |
| $150+ | $24.99 |
✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
| 4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
| 4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
| 6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
| 1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
| 5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
| #1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
| 5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
| #3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
| Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| #5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
| #6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
| #7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Christmas Fern highlights at a glance!
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Botanical Name
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Brand
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Growing Zones4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
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Growth RateFast
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Mature Height
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Mature Width
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Leaf Color
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring
Characteristics
Where To Plant
When To Prune
- Early Spring
Water & Moisture Needs
- Moderate
Sunlight Needs
Soil Needs
- Widely Adaptable
Growing Zones
Pretty and evergreen, the Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) occurs in both dry and moist wooded slopes, moist banks and ravines throughout the eastern half of the US! It typically grows in a fountain-like clump and features leathery, lance-shaped, evergreen fronds. It is green at Christmas time as the common name suggests.
The cut-leaf arching sword-like fronds are divided into fine-textured toothy, stocking-shaped pinnae, that also keep with the Christmas theme! The crosiers (aka: young fiddleheads) in spring are silvery and scaled. On mature leaves, spore-producing Sori appear on the underside of the pinnae toward the end of the fronds for a unique two-tone flash of brown as the fronds wave in the breeze.
Christmas ferns are asymmetrical with a fine texture and have a moderately dense crown. The evergreen fronds provide good winter interest for landscapes throughout USDA planting zones 4 to 9! Growing just 1-2 feet tall and wide, these evergreen Ferns won't get into trouble as they ramble through the understory!
Planting and Application:
Christmas Ferns prefer the dappled shade areas of your landscape, like the understories of large trees, beneath the canopies of large shrubs, or the north and eastern side of your home's foundation!
This Fern does not spread but the clumps increase in size over time, allowing you to divide them periodically, increasing their presence throughout your shade-garden beds, borders, and landscape as edging or en masse filler.
These plants serve as hosts for butterfly larvae, so they are fantastic additions to a native shade garden surrounded by pollinator-friendly plants! Even container gardens and large planters gain a pretty green skirting and filler plant! Snip a few of the fronds for your cut flower bouquets indoors too!
- Fine-Textured Hardy Fern
- Bright Orange-Red & Coppery Pink New Growth!
- Deep Green Fronds All Summer
- Arching Mounded Clumps
- Amazing Bright Red Fall Color
- Great Groundcover, Edging, Borders & Container Focal Points!
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Christmas ferns enjoy shade and it will not survive in the sun! So give them a full shade, moist location in hot climates, and partial shade or morning sun and afternoon location in cooler growing zones. Best grown in moist, enriched, well-drained soil, these native Ferns are resilient and adaptable to nearly anything once established, however, they will appreciate supplemental moisture during extended heat and drought.
Plant with Nature Hills Root Booster for symbiotic life-long support at the roots. A 3-4 inch deep layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture as well as insulate the root system from heat and chill. Adapted to the Northeastern and Southeastern US, deer and rabbits seldom bother eating these plants. Prune or shear back in early spring before new growth emerges to clean up any dead debris and to give the plant a fresh, clean look for the next growing season.
- Part Shade & Full Shade
- Almost Any Rich Soil Type
- Moderate to High Moisture
- Drought Tolerant Once Established
- Cold Hardy, Easy-Care & Low Maintenance
Enjoy greenery all year round with the evergreen native Christmas Fern in your shady landscape today! Order enough for your next project from NatureHills.com!
