Braun’s Holly Fern

A very attractive fern for shade, Polystichum braunii is an evergreen (semi-evergreen in cold areas) perennial fern with a dense, upright, arching, shuttlecock habit, particularly good in a woodland planting. The narrow, feathery, lance-shaped fronds are very divided, emerging silvery and turning bright green and glossy, with pale brown scales on the stems. Braun’s holly fern is quite lime-tolerant, although it prefers neutral to acid soil. Easy and reliable; trim off winter-battered fronds in early spring to appreciate the new growth coming through.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil, preferably moist and humus-rich
Position: Partial shade, dappled shade, full shade
Season of interest: All year in mild areas
Hardiness: Very hardy
Height: 2’ (60cm) Spread: 2’ (60cm)

Photos by David Stang, Kenraiz, and Zenwort and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.