Giant Wood Fern Dryopteris goldieana
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- dry-OP-ter-iss gold-ee-AY-nah
- Description
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Goldie's wood fern is an herbaceous perennial in the polypody family (Polypodiaceae). The fern’s native range is a wide area of eastern North America, including North Carolina. It is found in the rich moist soil of forested areas and seepage swamps in the mountains and Piedmont of NC. The species epithet honors Scottish plant collector John Goldie, who first brought this fern from Canada to the UK.
The plant is easy to grow and prefers moist, humus-rich soil in partial to full shade. Once established, plants are difficult to move. This fern prefers fertile acidic soils, protection from the wind and humid conditions.
It is one of the largest ferns in this genus, growing to 4 feet tall. It will spread slowly by short rhizomes (with an elevated crown) to form a 6-foot clump. It is easy to distinguish from other ferns not only by its size but also by the backward-arching, oblong-triangular fronds. The fronds taper near the tip.
Use in a woodland garden, along ponds, streams or bogs, or massed in a native garden.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No issues noted.
VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Dryopteris
- Species:
- goldieana
- Family:
- Polypodiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Canada to U.S.A
- Distribution:
- Eastern United States and Canada
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heavy shade, rabbits; This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Fern
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Other/more complex
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Fronds are 2-3' long, 1-1½' across, ovate shaped, and form a loose rosette. They are backward-arching, dark green to golden green, and taper abruptly near the tip and slightly narrowing at the base. These fronds have large oblong triangular, pinnate-pinnatifid blades, and the 7-8 flattened pinnae are pale green along the margins. Segments have a firm texture. They have a long, thick stipe and are very scaly at the base. The compound leaf has 12-18 pairs of leaflets that are alternate on the stalk. The sori are on the underside of the leaflets and lie near the midvein. Fronds turn pale yellow in fall.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are green to gray-green and covered with brownish scales. They are 1/3 the length of the frond.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Near Septic
- Pond
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
- Wet Soil
