Christmas Dagger Polystichum acrostichoides
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Nephrodium acrostichoides
- Polypodium acrostichoides
- Phonetic Spelling
- pol-IS-tick-um ak-ros-tik-OY-deez
- Description
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Christmas fern is a rhizomatous subterranean, decumbent, woody, densely scaly-scruffy evergreen in the Polypodiaceae family. Found growing in rich rocky woods, along stream banks, in swamps or thickets to a height of 2 to 3 feet in a fountain-like form.
The leaves are known as fronds and these fronds have many leaflets and grow directly from the ground in a clump, so no bark is present. No flowers are produced. The fern produces black spores on the underside of the leaf but not all fronds are fertile. The fertile fronds are narrower at the tip. Curled fiddleheads of new leaves emerge silvery in the spring.
It is best grown in organically rich, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. This fern will not spread or naturalize, however its clumps will increase in size over time.
It provides winter cover near the ground for songbirds who also use parts and scale-like hairs in nest construction.
In mass plantings, it makes an excellent plant to combat soil erosion on slopes.
Quick ID Hints:
- Fronds dimorphic
- Fertile pinnae terminate, reduced in size
- Pinnae basally auricled
- stipe chaffy
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
This plant has no serious insect or disease problems. Crown rot problems can occur in poorly drained soils, particularly in the winter. Watch for Florida Fern Caterpillar.
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 landscapes:
- Border Garden, Upcycled Michael McCarthy Memorial Garden, All Saints Episcopal, Concord Native Woodland Garden, Durham Coastal Shade Garden Fairy Gardens
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Polystichum
- Species:
- acrostichoides
- Family:
- Polypodiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada to Mexico
- Distribution:
- United States: AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VT, VA, WV, and WI; Mexico Northeast, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It provides winter cover near the ground. White-tailed deer will occasionally browse this plant but not damage it. Songbirds use the parts and scale-like hairs in nest construction. Attracts Ruffed Grouse.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heavy shade and highly resistant to damage from deer. Resistant to fire in the landscape.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Fern
- Houseplant
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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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:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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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:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Soft
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leathery, lance-shaped, evergreen (green at Christmas time as the common name suggests) fronds. Stocking shape of the pinnae also suggests Christmas. Crosiers (young fiddleheads) in spring are silvery and scaled. Sori appear on the undersides of the pinnae only at the ends (last 1/3) of the fronds. The Christmas fern has tufted circular clump of stiff, deep green fronds (leaves). The blade is a once-pinnately compound, linear-lanceolate shaped broadest at the base. Its fertile fronds are taller, more rigid, more erect, constricted at the tip and die in the winter. Its sterile fronds are smaller and less erect and remain evergreen. Sterile pinnae are in the middle and base of fronds, are linear-oblong, are basally acutely auriculate, and are minutely spinose-dentate. The pinnae are auricled with marginal bristle teeth and are dimorphic with 20-35 pinnae pairs. The stipe and rachis are scaly and chaffy. Its short stipe is green but brown at base. Its yellow spored sori occur only on terminal one-third of the frond. Its fronds have many leaflets and grow directly from the ground in a clump, so no bark is present. This fern produces black spores on the underside of the leaf.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Naturalized Area
- Near Septic
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Fairy Garden
- Native Garden
- Shade Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
