Northern Wood Fern

Dryopteris expansa

Photo Credit: Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org

Photo Credit: Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org

Photo Credit: Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org

Plant Description

Northern wood fern is a robust, evergreen to semi-evergreen fern native to moist forests of western North America. It forms arching fronds with finely divided, triangular leaflets that spread outward from a dense crown. This species is commonly found in cool, shaded understories, forest edges, and along streams, where soils remain consistently moist and rich in organic matter. Spreading wood fern provides year-round ground cover, contributes to forest floor stability, and is well-suited for woodland restoration and shaded native plantings. It is deer resistant and may go dormant during dry summers.

Plant Details

Life Forms	Fern
Habitats	Riparian Areas Upland Forests
Soil and Moisture Conditions	Moist Wet
Special Uses	Attracts hummingbirds Deciduous Deer resistant Erosion Control Forest Stand Improvement Good for shade garden Good for wet areas Green Roof Groundcover Ornamental Perennial Riparian Buffer Swale/Raingarden Tolerates seasonal wet
Shade Preference	Full shade
Mature Height	2'-3'