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Northern beech fern

Phegopteris connectilis. Family Thelypteridaceae. Fern.

Also called Long beech fern, Narrow beech fern.

Northern beech fern is a deciduous woodland fern with soft, triangular fronds and a creeping underground stem. Gardeners grow it for its fresh green foliage and its ability to form loose colonies in cool, moist shade. It is best suited to cooler climates and struggles in hot, dry gardens.

Hardiness

USDA zones 3a to 7b

UK hardiness: H7 (hardy, below -20°C)

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Grows outdoors in the shaded zones. Select a zone to see what else grows there.

Northern beech fern
Photo: Tom Norton
Northern beech fern
Photo: Homer Edward Price
Northern beech fern
Photo: Sean Grasing

At a glance

Sun
Partial to full shade; gentle morning sun is suitable where the soil stays moist.
Water
Keep consistently moist but not waterlogged; water during dry spells before the soil dries through.
Soil
Humus-rich, well-drained soil, preferably acidic to neutral; avoid dry, compacted ground.
Height
1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)
Spread
1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m), eventually wider through creeping rhizomes
Foliage
Soft green, triangular, finely divided fronds with a distinctive lowest pair of leaflets angled downward and backward; dies back for winter.
Growth
Moderate in cool, moist conditions
Care needed
Low

The year at a glance

  • Deer resistant
  • Cold hardy
  • Wildlife
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Plant

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

Difficulty
Easy
Toughness
Fairly tough

Will it suit your garden?

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

Full sun is 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, part shade 3 to 6 hours, shade under 3.

How it grows

  1. Planting day

    1 ft (0.3 m)

  2. After 1 year

    1.1 ft (0.35 m)

  3. After 2 years

    1.3 ft (0.4 m)

  4. After 3 years

    1.5 ft (0.45 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.

Good to know

Cats and dogs
Safe
Native to
the US, Canada and the UK
In the garden
Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.
Growth rate
Moderate

Care

Jobs through the year

WaterApr–May, Sep–Oct, every 7 days
Water established colonies when rainfall is insufficient to keep soil moist; check new plants more often.
WaterJun–Aug, every 4 days
Water established colonies during dry weather before soil dries through; avoid waterlogging.
MulchMar–Apr
Add a thin layer of leaf mould or compost, keeping emerging fronds uncovered.
PruneFeb–Mar
Remove collapsed dead fronds before new growth; leave healthy green fronds intact.
DivideMar–Apr
Divide colonies in spring only when crowded or spreading into neighbouring plants.
ProtectApr–May
Check emerging fronds for slugs and snails and hand-pick pests when needed.
  • Water deeply during dry weather to keep the root zone evenly moist.
  • Apply a thin layer of leaf mould or well-rotted compost each spring.
  • Keep mulch loose around emerging fronds rather than covering them.
  • Avoid strong fertilisers; an annual organic mulch is usually sufficient.
  • Divide spreading colonies in spring if they crowd neighbouring plants.

Pruning. Remove dead fronds in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges. Leave healthy green fronds intact, even if some older ones look untidy.

Through the year

Late winter
Cut away collapsed dead fronds before new shoots appear.
Spring
Plant or divide into moist, humus-rich soil and water thoroughly.
Mid-spring
Top-dress with leaf mould and check emerging fronds for slug damage.
Summer
Water during dry spells and watch for browning caused by heat or dry soil.
Autumn
Leave a light covering of fallen leaves around the plants to protect and enrich the soil.

In the garden

  • Plant beneath deciduous trees where light reaches the ground in spring and shade deepens in summer.
  • Use as a loose groundcover between larger woodland perennials in reliably moist soil.
  • Pair with broad-leaved hostas for contrasting leaf shapes.
  • Grow beside a shaded path or among mossy rocks where its delicate fronds can be seen closely.

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

Plant it with: Hostas, Foamflower, Solomon's seal, Lungwort, Trilliums and Lady fern.

Wildlife: Dense colonies provide damp shelter for small woodland animals and invertebrates. It produces spores rather than flowers, so offers no nectar or pollen.

Problems to watch for

  • Slugs and snails may damage emerging fronds; check after dark, remove pests and use iron-phosphate bait according to the label if needed.
  • Dry soil causes browned edges or early dieback; water deeply and maintain a leaf-mould mulch.
  • Strong sun and hot winds scorch foliage; provide afternoon shade and a sheltered position.
  • Stagnant, waterlogged soil can rot rhizomes; improve drainage or move the plant to moist but aerated ground.

Safety

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but species-specific safety information is limited. Do not treat the fronds or rhizomes as edible; prevent pets and livestock from eating substantial quantities.

Easily confused with

  • Broad beech fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera)

    Usually has broader fronds and leafy wings connecting the lowest pair of leaflets to the pair above. Northern beech fern has a distinctly separated lowest pair, often pointing backward.

  • Oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris)

    Its delicate frond divides into three conspicuous main sections. Northern beech fern has a single triangular blade with leaflets arranged along a central stalk.

The name

Phegopteris comes from Greek words meaning beech and fern, echoed in the common name beech fern.

Propagation. Divide established colonies in spring, taking pieces of rhizome with roots and a growing point. Replant promptly and keep moist. Spores can also be sown on a sterile, moist medium, but this is slower and requires careful humidity control.

Checked against open data

Accepted botanical name
Phegopteris connectilis
In the US and Canada
Native in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.
Native range
Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Altay, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, British Columbia, Bulgaria, Buryatiya and Central European Rus.
Measured
Soil pH 5 to 5.5. Average height 20 cm.

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

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