Broad buckler fern

Sun

Partial to full shade; avoid hot afternoon sun.

Water

Keep soil evenly moist, especially during establishment and dry summers; avoid prolonged waterlogging.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; acidic to neutral conditions are ideal.

Height

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Foliage

Dark green, broadly triangular fronds divided into fine leaflets, with brown scales along the stalks. The stalk scales usually have dark centres and paler margins. Semi-evergreen in mild climates and deciduous in colder winters.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Wildlife

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

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.3 ft (0.7 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (0.9 m)

   full size

About 3 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

Toxic

Native to

the UK

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply during dry spells rather than letting the root zone dry out.
• Mulch annually with leaf mould or well-rotted compost, keeping the crown uncovered.
• Plant with the crown at soil level, not buried.
• Avoid routine heavy feeding; an annual compost mulch is usually sufficient.
• Divide established clumps in early spring only when you need more plants.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, cut dead and badly damaged fronds back near the crown before new fronds unfurl. Leave healthy overwintering fronds until they begin to deteriorate.

Late winter

Remove collapsed or damaged fronds without cutting emerging growth.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps and water them in thoroughly.

Late spring

Apply leaf mould or compost around the plants, leaving the crowns clear.

Summer

Check soil moisture during dry weather, particularly beneath trees.

Autumn

Leave healthy fronds in place and retain a light layer of fallen leaves around the clump.

• Plant in groups beneath deciduous trees for a layered woodland floor.
• Pair with hostas and large-leaved shade plants to contrast fine and bold foliage.
• Use along shaded paths where the arching fronds can soften the edges without blocking access.
• Place beside a shaded pond or stream, above the permanently saturated margin.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, English country, Secret garden, Green on green, Moss and fern garden and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Hostas, Epimediums, Brunnera, Lungwort, Japanese forest grass and Wood anemones.

Wildlife: The clump and surrounding leaf litter provide sheltered, humid cover for small invertebrates and amphibians. It does not provide nectar or pollen.

• Brown, crisp frond edges usually indicate dry soil or excessive sun; water deeply, mulch and provide more shade.
• Slugs and snails may damage emerging fronds; remove them by hand and use wildlife-conscious controls if damage is persistent.
• Crown or root rot can develop in stagnant, waterlogged soil; improve drainage and keep the crown above any standing water.
• Late frost can blacken emerging fronds; leave damaged growth until the frost risk passes, then trim it away.

Do not eat the fronds or rhizomes. Dryopteris ferns contain potentially poisonous compounds, particularly in the rhizomes, and ingestion can be serious. Species-specific poisoning information for cats, dogs and horses is limited, so keep them from eating it and seek veterinary advice after ingestion.

• Narrow buckler fern (Dryopteris carthusiana)

  Usually has narrower, more upright fronds and pale brown stalk scales without the conspicuous dark centres typical of broad buckler fern.

• Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)

  Has more narrowly lance-shaped fronds with less finely divided leaflets; broad buckler fern has a broader, triangular outline and a lacier appearance.

Dryopteris comes from Greek words for oak and fern, dilatata means broadened, and buckler refers to the shield-like coverings over the spore clusters.

Propagation. Divide large, established clumps in early spring, ensuring each division has roots and a growing point. Spores can also be sown on a moist, sterile medium, but development is slow and needs consistently humid conditions.

Accepted botanical name

Dryopteris dilatata

Native range

Albania, Altay, Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Corse, Czechoslovakia and Denmark.

Measured

Soil pH 5 to 5.5. Average height 88 cm.

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