Male Ferns are large, beautiful clumping perennials that are popular garden plants in temperate regions. It is native to both North America and Europe, where it is more common. They offer a long season of interest as they remain robust and green until a hard frost, then turn a coppery bronze to brown. They are best in a moist woodland setting with protection from strong winds and rain, to prevent the long arching fronds from breaking. They can slowly spread by their branching rhizomes to form colonies in five to ten years in ideal conditions. This fern would make a stout and attractive specimen in the shade garden. Sources: Native Ferns, Moss, & Grasses by William Cullina Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke Missouri Botanical Garden The Morton Arboretum-Black Walnut Toxicity
