Braun's holly fern

Sun

Partial to full shade; protect from hot afternoon sun and drying winds.

Water

Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water during dry spells, especially beneath trees.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil with good drainage; acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Foliage

Lance-shaped, twice-divided green fronds with finely toothed leaflets and brown scales along the stalks. Evergreen to semi-evergreen in sheltered, mild climates; fronds may die back in cold winters.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.4 ft (0.42 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.1 ft (0.65 m)

5. After 5 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant with the crown at soil level, not buried.
• Water deeply during dry weather so the root zone stays moist.
• Apply leaf mould or compost around the clump each spring, keeping it clear of the crown.
• Avoid heavy feeding; an annual compost dressing is usually sufficient.
• Divide established clumps in spring only when needed, keeping substantial rooted sections.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, cut damaged or dead fronds back near the crown before new croziers unfurl. Retain healthy green fronds and avoid cutting emerging growth.

Late winter

Remove collapsed or badly weathered fronds without damaging the crown.

Spring

Plant or divide while conditions are cool and the soil is moist.

Mid-spring

Top-dress with leaf mould or compost, leaving the crown uncovered.

Summer

Check soil moisture during dry spells and water thoroughly when needed.

Autumn

Renew the surrounding leaf mulch and remove any dense, wet leaf mats covering the crown.

• Plant in small groups beneath deciduous trees for a repeated woodland texture.
• Pair with hostas or brunnera to contrast finely divided fronds with broad leaves.
• Use beside a shaded path where the scaled emerging fronds can be seen closely.
• Plant among mossy rocks on a cool, shaded bank with reliable moisture and drainage.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Japanese, Moss and fern garden, Green on green, Secret garden and Pacific Northwest woodland.

Plant it with: Hostas, Brunnera, Epimediums, Astilbes, Solomon's seal and Japanese painted fern.

Wildlife: Dense clumps provide shelter for small invertebrates. Like other ferns, it produces spores rather than flowers, so it supplies no nectar or pollen.

• Brown, crisp frond edges usually indicate drought, hot sun or drying wind; water deeply, mulch and provide more shelter.
• Crown or root rot can develop in stagnant, waterlogged soil; improve drainage and keep the crown at soil level.
• Slugs and snails may damage emerging fronds; remove them by hand or use a labelled iron-phosphate bait.
• Winter scorch can spoil exposed fronds; retain them until late winter, then remove damaged growth before new fronds emerge.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Species-specific toxicity information is limited; do not treat the fronds, croziers or other parts as edible.

• Soft shield fern (Polystichum setiferum)

  Usually has softer, more spreading fronds. Braun's holly fern has conspicuously scaly stalks and blades that narrow markedly toward the base; identification can be difficult on young plants.

• Hard shield fern (Polystichum aculeatum)

  Has stiffer, glossier, more leathery fronds with conspicuously prickly teeth. Braun's holly fern has a softer, hairier-looking surface.

• Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

  Its fronds are divided only once into simple, stocking-shaped leaflets. Braun's holly fern has leaflets divided again into smaller segments.

The epithet braunii honours the German botanist Alexander Braun, while Polystichum means 'many rows', referring to the arrangement of the spore-bearing structures beneath the fronds.

Propagation. Divide a mature, multi-crowned clump in spring, ensuring each section has roots and a growing point. It can also be raised from ripe spores sown on a clean, moist medium under cover, but this is slow.

Accepted botanical name

Polystichum braunii

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Native range

Alaska, Altay, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, British Columbia, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast and Connecticut.

Measured

Soil pH 5.5 to 6.5. Average height 58 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.