Nantucket’s native ferns are more than just beautiful additions to your landscape; they play a vital role in maintaining the island’s delicate ecosystems. These ferns thrive in the island’s unique climate, requiring little care, water, or chemicals to flourish. They help stabilize soil, reduce erosion, and retain moisture, particularly in shaded, organic-rich areas like woodlands and wetlands.
Native ferns also provide essential habitats for local wildlife, offering shelter and cool, shaded spaces for insects, small mammals, and amphibians. By incorporating native ferns into your landscape, you’re supporting biodiversity, preserving the island’s natural beauty, and contributing to a healthier, more sustainable environment.
Nantucket Native Grasses & Sedges
Hay-Scented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium; tolerates dry soils once established.
- Best Uses: Groundcover for woodland gardens, naturalized areas.
Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium to wet; thrives in moist, acidic soils.
- Best Uses: Rain gardens, shaded borders, wet woodlands.
Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium to wet; prefers moist soils.
- Best Uses: Wetland restoration, rain gardens, shaded areas.
Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)
- Light: Full sun to partial shade.
- Water: Medium to low; drought-tolerant once established.
- Best Uses: Groundcover for dry, sandy soils or poor soils.
Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium; thrives in moist, rich soils.
- Best Uses: Shaded borders, woodland gardens, naturalized areas.
Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium to wet; prefers rich, moist soils.
- Best Uses: Woodland gardens, wet meadows, shaded borders.
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium; tolerates dry soils once established.
- Best Uses: Woodland gardens, shaded borders, erosion control.
New York Fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium to wet; prefers acidic soils.
- Best Uses: Woodland groundcover, wetland edges, naturalized areas.
European Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium to wet; thrives in wet, acidic soils.
- Best Uses: Rain gardens, wet woodlands, ornamental ferns.
Marsh Fern (Thelypteris palustris)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium to wet; prefers swampy or marshy soils.
- Best Uses: Wetland restoration, rain gardens, shaded borders.
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium; prefers moist, rich soils.
- Best Uses: Woodland gardens, shaded borders, decorative plantings.
Crested Wood Fern (Dryopteris cristata)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium to wet; thrives in moist soils.
- Best Uses: Wet woodlands, rain gardens, naturalized areas.
Marginal Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium; tolerates dry soils once established.
- Best Uses: Woodland gardens, shaded borders, groundcover.
Broad Beech Fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium; thrives in moist, rich soils.
- Best Uses: Woodland groundcover, shaded borders, naturalized areas.
Goldie’s Wood Fern (Dryopteris goldiana)
- Light: Partial shade to full shade.
- Water: Medium; prefers moist soils.
- Best Uses: Shaded borders, woodland gardens, wet areas.
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