Japanese Shield Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora commonly called japanese shield fern or autumn fern is an arching evergreen semi evergreen in cold winter climates fern that grows in a vase shaped clump to 2 tall and as wide.
Japanese shield fern. Plant profile of the japanese shield fern dryopteris erythrosora with growing advice and planting partners with help from bbc gardeners world magazine. Genus dryopteris can be deciduous semi evergreen or evergreen ferns with stout erect or decumbent rhizomes and shuttlecock like rosettes of lance shaped to ovate pinnately divided fronds. A deer resistant perennial and favorite of shade garden perennials. Japanese painted ferns athyrium niponicum are colorful specimens that brightens the part shade to shady areas of the garden.
A mature fern easily covers a 3 foot diameter. Autumn ferns in the garden offer beauty throughout the growing season emerging coppery red in spring eventually maturing to a bright glossy kelly green by summer. This finely divided dark green fern has a delicate appearance but is actually a very hardy survivor fig. Its slowly spreading habit and ability to tolerate neglect make it an ideal candidate for use as a groundcover.
The athyrium niponicum pictum or japanese painted fern have 12 to 18 inch gray green fronds. It is native to woodland hillsides and mountain slopes in japan china and taiwan. Also known as japanese shield fern or japanese wood fern autumn fern dryopteris erythrosora is a hardy plant suitable for growing as far north as usda hardiness zone 5. It is at least as large as japanese painted fern and its fronds lie more prostrate so it has a larger footprint with older fronds arching to the ground.
The fronds appearing reddish when young. The fronds fade to silver at the edges. This underutilized plant is one of the few ferns to have seasonal color value. Autumn fern japanese red shield fern copper shield fern aspidium erythrosorum one of the most colorful ferns in the genus dryopteris dryopteris erythrosora autumn fern is a clump forming semi evergreen fern with broadly triangular arching fronds.
Other common names japanese shield fern copper shield fern. The japanese painted fern thrives in a partial shade garden.