• Photo of Dryopteris intermedia (Dryopteris intermedias)

Plant Profile: Dryopteris intermedia

Taxonomy: Dryopteris intermedia

Names

Evergreen Wood Fern, Fancy Fern, Glandular Wood Fern, Intermediate Shield Fern, Intermediate Wood Fern

  • Photo of Dryopteris intermedia (Dryopteris intermedias)

Phonetic Spelling:dry-OP-ter-iss in-ter-MEE-dee-ah

Genus:Dryopteris

Species:intermedia

Family:Dryopteridaceae

The Evergreen Wood Fern is a low-maintenance plant that thrives easily. True to its name, its fronds remain green throughout the year or at least during mild winters. In regions where it does not maintain its evergreen status, it is advisable to trim away the old fronds in winter before the new growth emerges in spring. This fern flourishes in moist, shaded environments but can withstand drier conditions for brief periods. Notably, it does not spread, so it should be planted in a sheltered area to protect its fronds from strong winds.

This fern is indigenous to the damp woodlands, ravines, swamp peripheries, and rocky inclines of Eastern North America. Care should be taken to keep the soil consistently moist.

In terms of pests and diseases, the Evergreen Wood Fern is generally free from significant issues.

For further details on Dryopteris, additional resources are available.

Dryopteris intermedia Feature Summary

Dryopteris intermedia Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#shade tolerant
#shade garden
#fern
#winter interest
#rabbit resistant
#wet sites
#mounding
#deer resistant
#native garden
#food source summer
#food source herbage
#humidity tolerant
#clay soils tolerant
#dry soils tolerant
#FACU Piedmont Mountains
#FACU Coastal
#audubon
#heavy shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Dryopteris intermedia is often confused with:

Dryopteris intermedia Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern United States
Heavy shade, This plant is seldom damaged by deer.
Perennial
Fruit
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Flowers
Leaves
Deeply dissected blades arranged in circular cluster; blade is oval to narrowly triangular, bippinnate pinnatified to tripinnate and thin textured; minute glands on blade; first lower pinnule on basal pinna is shorter than the second; stipe has light brown scales and is one fourth to one third the frond length
Green
Brown/Copper
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Other/more complex
Lobed
Serrate
Crenulate
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Fern
Arching
Mounding
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Wet
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Winter Garden
Shade Garden
Mass Planting
Accent
Small groups
Deer
Wet Soil
Dry Soil
Heavy Shade
Container
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Small Space
Near Septic

Dryopteris intermedia Attributes

Dryopteris intermedia: Country Or Region Of Origin

North America

Dryopteris intermedia: Distribution

Eastern United States

Dryopteris intermedia: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Heavy shade, This plant is seldom damaged by deer.

Dryopteris intermedia: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Dryopteris intermedia: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Dryopteris intermedia Fruit

Dryopteris intermedia: Fruit Description

No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.

Dryopteris intermedia Flowers

Dryopteris intermedia: Flower Description

No flowers.

Dryopteris intermedia Leaves

Dryopteris intermedia: Leaf Description

Deeply dissected blades arranged in circular cluster; blade is oval to narrowly triangular, bippinnate pinnatified to tripinnate and thin textured; minute glands on blade; first lower pinnule on basal pinna is shorter than the second; stipe has light brown scales and is one fourth to one third the frond length

Dryopteris intermedia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Dryopteris intermedia: Leaf Color

spa
Brown/Copper
spa
Green

Dryopteris intermedia: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Dryopteris intermedia: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Dryopteris intermedia: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Dryopteris intermedia: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Dryopteris intermedia: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Dryopteris intermedia: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Dryopteris intermedia Whole Plant Traits

Dryopteris intermedia: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Dryopteris intermedia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Dryopteris intermedia: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Dryopteris intermedia: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Dryopteris intermedia: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Dryopteris intermedia: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Dryopteris intermedia Cultural Conditions

Dryopteris intermedia: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Dryopteris intermedia: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Dryopteris intermedia: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Dryopteris intermedia: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Dryopteris intermedia: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Dryopteris intermedia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Dryopteris intermedia: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Dryopteris intermedia Stem

Dryopteris intermedia: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Dryopteris intermedia Landscape

Dryopteris intermedia: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Dryopteris intermedia: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Dryopteris intermedia: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Dryopteris intermedia: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland