NAME: Sword Fern
OTHER COMMON NAMES: Giant Holly
Fern / Western Swordfern
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Polystichum Munitum syn. Aspidium Munitum / Polystichum Solitarium
COLOR: Green Foliage
PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors
after frost / Best started indoors in containers
BLOOM TIME: N/A (Non Flowering)
HARDINESS ZONE: 4 - 9
PLANT HEIGHT: 3 - 4'
PLANT SPACING: 18 - 24"
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Shade - Part Shade / Sun ok with moist soil
SOIL & WATER PREFERENCES: Average
QUANTITY: 1500 Seeds (Spores)
OTHER: The Sword Fern is an iconic western US plant that is native
to western North America from Canada down to Mexico.
Have you ever been watching something on tv where the
characters are strolling through a west coast forest, & plot be darned, all
you could do was stare at the lush foliage in the background until you realize
that you are nearly dehydrated from drooling so much over the backdrop? – Those
are sword ferns, & now you can grow your very own! J
Sword Ferns feature dark green flossy evergreen foliage that
is finely serrated. Their sword shaped (pointed / narrower at the tip) fronds
measure 2 – 6’ long, & their leaves grow in a perfectly symmetrical pattern.
They are a popular addition to floral arrangements, both fresh & dried. Sword
Ferns have traditional medicinal uses, & they’ve even earned a Royal
Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
Sword Ferns are a long-lived plant in general, & individual fronds can even live for several years. These deer resistant plants will
form colonies where conditions are favorable. They grow well in maritime
conditions (salt spray, sand, & wind), can tolerate some drought, & will
grow in a variety of soils. Sword Ferns grow very well in full shade, but unlike
many ferns, can also be grown in a sunny location as long as they receive
enough moisture. The plants tend to have more of an upright habit when they are
grown in the sun, & a more arching habit when grown in shade. The Sword
Fern grows in clumps, & can grow much wider than 18 – 24” in the right
conditions. They can easily reach up to 4 - 6 feet across, & in ideal
conditions as much as 7 – 8 feet wide.
Just a heads up - Fern spores are extremely tiny. Like ‘the
size of dust’ tiny. There is no need to let this deter you though! (Unless you’re
just gonna write me later to tell me that you’re mad about their size lol.) We
have lovingly packaged these seeds to set you up for success. Your fern spores
will come in a cute little folded waxed paper square inside their poly zipper
bag for easy removal & handling. You can simply sprinkle them on top of
your growing medium directly from the waxed paper. An alternative method is to
mix the spores with dry sand to distribute them over a larger area. Of course detailed
sowing instructions are included on the packaging so you will have them at
hand.
* We’ve got
Sensitive Fern spores available in our store too! Drop by & check ‘em out! *
