Male Fern
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3Will it grow where I live?
Male Fern is hardy to zone 3 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 3 upwards.
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Profile
- Family
- Dryopteridaceae
- Habit
- perennial
- Height
- 1.2 m
- Spread
- 1 m
- Growth
- medium
- Lifespan
- 50 years
- First yield
- after 1 year
- Hardiness
- zone 3–8
- Shade tolerance
- full shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Clay
- Soil moisture
- dry – very moist
- pH
- 4.5 – 7.5
Uses
Growing
Shady to partly shaded spot on moist, humus-rich soil in woodland understorey; very hardy and low-maintenance. The rootstock is poisonous and was used only with caution as a traditional vermifuge.
⚠️ Hazards
Toxicity: toxic
Frequently asked questions
Male Fern: how big does it get?
Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 1.2 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 1 m. Growth is medium.
Male Fern: what site does it need?
Male Fern tolerates full shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Clay. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 4.5 and 7.5.
Male Fern: is it hardy?
Male Fern is listed as hardy in zone 3–8 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Male Fern: will it grow in Central Europe?
Male Fern is hardy to zone 3 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 3 upwards.
Male Fern: is it poisonous?
Male Fern is classified as toxic. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Male Fern: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 1/10, Medicinal 7/10, Other uses 3/10.
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