Thelypteris palustris

Sizes available: 2 quart

Basics: zones 3-10, 12-36" x 24-36", full sun to part shade, will not do well in full shade, wants consistently moist to wet soil, occasional inundation is ok, adaptable as to soil type.

Common names: Marsh Fern

Family: Aspleniaceae

Origin/Distribution: North America, China, and Japan, native to Maine

Habitat: riparian areas, low and damp woodlands, roadside ditches

More: The only known host plant for the Marsh Fern Moth, Fagitana littera, which is native to Maine.

Why grow ferns besides your admiration for a plant that has been present on Earth for over 360 billion years? Ferns support wildlife by creating protective cover and shady, moist micro-habitats, in particular for small mammals and invertebrates. The fuzzy covering on emerging croziers is used by birds for nesting material. Ferns help prevent erosion and filter run-off. For the gardener they offer the gifts of graceful architecture and low-maintenance textural beauty.

Nursery: Van Berkum

Image credit: Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org via Creative Commons through North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox