Fish Tail Cyrtomium falcatum

Holly fern is usually an evergreen herbaceous perennial in the Polypody family (Polypodiaceae). It is native to eastern Asia and gets its common name from the leaflet's resemblance to the leaves of a holly. It can be deciduous in colder locations. It has escaped cultivation and naturalized in some areas of the southeastern USA.

This easy-to-grow, stout, scaly fern grows best in moist, humus-rich soil in a shady location. Its native habitats include hardwood forests with moist, cool, well-drained soil.  It is seldom damaged by deer or rabbits and has some tolerance to salt.

The spores are light green when young and darken as they mature. They are located on the underside of the fronds in a scattered fashion. This low-maintenance plant requires no pruning, however, fronds damaged by frost can be removed for a neater appearance.

The Holly fern can be used in rock and shade gardens, in part to full shade ponds and slopes, in woodlands and as houseplants.

Quick ID Hints:

• Fronds pinnately compound
• Pinnate oblong-ovate, falcate
• Sori & indusium round
• Lacks the lacy-like fronds of many other ferns
• Rhizomes ascending to erect, short, densely scaly basally.
• Sori uniformly distributed, round, numerous; indusium peltate, orbicular.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: 

Scale, fungal spots and root rot can be issues for this plant. Mealybugs and mites will attack when the plant has been weakened by drought. Watch for Florida Fern Caterpillar.

VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.