Western Sword Fern

Polystichum munitum

$39⁹⁹

In Stock
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Title

#1 Container

Product variants

Plant Sentry™

Delivery and Shipping

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

Western Sword Fern highlights at a glance!

Specifications

Brand

Nature Hills' Choice
Botanical Name

Polystichum munitum
Growing Zones

6-9
Mature Height

3 - 5 feet
Mature Spread

3 - 5 feet
Sun Exposure

Full Shade, Partial Shade
Moisture

Moderate & Highly Adaptable
Soil

Well Drained
Growth Rate

Medium
Pruning Time

Early Spring

Growing Zones 6-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

Waves of dark-green fronds that look like toothy swords, fill dappled shade areas throughout the landscape to create an enchanting setting! The Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum) is an evergreen, spreading native Fern that naturalizes easily!

The tall spears are deeply incised and grow into upright clumps. The toothy leaflets grow uniformly, and alternate on the stalk in a symmetrical manner to form gorgeous foliage. Forming lush carpets in shade, it's the perfect tall backdrop for other shade-loving perennials and smaller Ferns.

In spring, you will be enchanted by the adorable fiddleheads that emerge from the center of the clump. You'll enjoy watching as the spring fiddleheads unfurl into the long blades. This hardy native of western North America forms evergreen clumps in frost-free areas and produces light yellow spores that turn brown, creating a curious pattern along the backs of each blade.

Each is glossy and leathery, and forms dense clumps that are rabbit and deer-resistant and very adaptable to a wide range of soils and conditions! Hardy Ferns throughout USDA planting zones 6 to 9, growing upwards of 5 feet tall and wide!

Planting and Application:

Quickly naturalizing and colonizing large areas, cloaking areas in verdant green and toothy texture while waving in the slightest breeze. You'll create a magical setting with a swath of these planted along shaded pathways or beneath the shade of large trees and evergreens.

Plant along the shaded side of your home's foundation for a great row of lacy edging that finishes off with a shorter row of groundcover, Coral Bells, or Hosta. Plant as a backdrop to a shade perennial garden with Liriope, Astilbe, and Japanese Forest Grasses.

For a fantastic display, plant en masse as a monoculture, or among a drift of King Ostrich Fern, Wood Fern, and other types of shade-loving cousins! These create dense carpets of green that are perfect for erosion control and are great groundcover on slopes and hard-to-mow shaded hillsides.

As an evergreen Fern, this lush groundcover features year-round greenery, texture, motion, and color! The calming Zen of this Fern, plus the mesmerizing swaying are lovely additions to your private spaces, Meditation spots, and Asian-inspired gardens.

Use as a tall backdrop or specimen plant, even a filler in containers! Add lushness throughout the Cottage garden or Cutting garden to fill your vases indoors with lovely greenery that is the finishing touch for bouquets and floral arrangements!

Glossy Thick Spears of Dark-Green Toothy Leaves
Curious Fiddleheads in Spring!
Vigorous Growth & Dense Clump-Forming & Spreading
Can Be Evergreen In Frost-Free Climates
Great Greenery for Floral Design
Erosion Control, En Masse & Shade Garden
Native to Western North America

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Western Sword Fern is easy-care and grows best in partial shade to full shade. Favoring afternoon shade in the hottest of its preferred growing zones. Requiring consistently moist soil for the best results, be sure it is a well-drained medium that remains moist.

However, these western natives can also tolerate more arid, dryer conditions once established. Their growth just won't be as vigorous or as tall. Plant with Nature Hills Root Booster during planting, because the symbiotic ingredients work non-stop over the life of the plant.

A generous layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture as well as insulate the root system from heat and chill. These evergreen Ferns clumps may be divided in spring, but this is seldom required. Though enjoying to spread, they're easily controlled and cared for.

Not particular on soil type, these adaptable plants can be evergreen in mild winters. Plant in fertile, humusy soil for best results, but these versatile plants can handle a wide variety of soil and conditions.

Rarely damaged by deer and highly adaptable, these are low maintenance and easy care Ferns! The only maintenance they need is an early spring clean-up of dead or old fronds while the new fiddleheads are about to form.