Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
Nice plant of the month: December 2023
The Christmas fern is a perennial, evergreen fern native to the eastern United States. Its common name may refer to the fact that it stays green throughout winter.
Habitat
Christmas ferns prefer shaded areas, and grow best wooded areas and on the banks of streams. Crown rot can occur if the soil is too soggy, so they are often found on hillsides, where the soil has better drainage.
Benefits
In the winter, the fronds of the fern tend to lie close to the ground. This helps to hold down leaves and other plant debris, which in turn helps to improve soil quality and prevent erosion. Although few animals eat the Christmas fern, its evergreen fronds can provide cover for ground foraging birds throughout the winter.
Identification
The christmas fern is easy to identify by the point at the base of each pinna (leaf). Compared to other ferns in this area, its leaves are large and lack secondary compounding.
Taxonomy
| Kingdom: | Plantae | plants |
| Phylum: | Tracheophyta | vascular plants |
| Class: | Polypodiopsida | ferns |
| Order: | Polypodiales | |
| Family: | Dryopteridaceae | shieldfern family |
| Genus: | Polystichum | shield ferns |
| Species: | acrostichoides | Christmas fern |