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Will Ferns Tolerate 35-Degree Weather?

With their fronds, leaflets and pinnae, ferns add texture and color to the landscape, especially in those shady sites where many plants can't thrive. In order to survive 35-degree weather, however, ferns must be cold-hardy to at least U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 3b. When choosing ferns for your landscape, select varieties that are hardy to USDA zone 3 or below.

  1. Small Deciduous Ferns

    • Deciduous ferns die to the ground over the winter and regrow in the spring. Despite its name, the fragile fern (Cystopteris fragilis) is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 2 to 10. This tough deciduous fern grows 5 to 10 inches tall and has bright green, tapering fronds. The fragile fern thrives in shady sites with an alkaline pH. The netted chain fern (Woodwardia areolata) grows to 2 feet tall and prefers moist to wet soil and shady exposures. Hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9, this fern has bright green fronds.

    Large Deciduous Ferns

    • Deciduous ferns create a dramatic effect when planted in groups. The northern maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) grows in USDA zones 3 to 8 and reaches heights of 3 feet. This deciduous fern has blue-green foliage. It grows best in moist, fertile soil and partial to full shade. The deciduous southern lady fern (Athyrium asplenioides) also grows to 3 feet tall. Hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8, this fern has delicate leaflets atop red stems. It grows best in fertile, moist sites in partial to full shade.

    Small Evergreen Ferns

    • Evergreen ferns keep their foliage year-round. Reaching heights of just 7 inches, the mountain spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes) is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9. This dense, evergreen fern has dark green fronds that grow in a rosette shape. Mountain spleenworts prefer shady sites with moist, well-draining soil. The ebony spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) grows to 20 inches tall in USDA zones 3 to 9. This evergreen has both light and dark green fronds atop dark, glossy stems. Ebony spleenworts grow well in partial to full shade and fertile soil.

    Large Evergreen Ferns

    • Large ferns can be used as foundation plantings. The crested wood fern (Dryopteris cristata) grows up to 3 feet tall and is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7. This evergreen has arching fronds and widely spaced pinnae. The crested wood fern grows well in wet sites and tolerates sun to shade. Also reaching heights to 3 feet, the intermediate shield fern (Dryopteris intermedia) grows in USDA zones 3 to 8. It prefers moist, shady sites but tolerates occasional dry periods. Its fronds grow in a circular form.

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Outdoor Growing
  1. Year-Round Ferns
  2. Wisconsin Edible Ferns
  3. Will Wild Fern Hurt a Staghorn?
  4. History of Fern Plants
  5. Growing a Licorice Fern
  6. Tarantula Fern
  7. How to Prune Ferns in the Northwest
  8. Ferns Growing in a Brick Wall
  9. When to Transplant Wild Ferns
  10. Leatherleaf Fern Propagation
  11. How to Transplant Ferns
  12. What Eats Ferns?

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