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Spiny wood fern (Shield fern)
Photo by Allen Philips 2-11-2001
Spiny wood fern (Shield fern) Dryopteris expansa
This species is common at the Tree Garden. It is evergreen and rather large, fronds growing more than 3' in length.
It is sometimes evergreen and looks very much like a lady fern, fronds full and light. The stalks are stiffer, and the fronds do not
branch out until about 1/3 up the shaft (lady ferns have juicier stems, are deciduous, and leaf out all the way to the bottom
of the shaft).
It will tolerate full shade, to half sunlight.
They need more water than the sword fern, but less than a lady fern.
updated 9/1/2007 by Allen Philips