New York Fern

Common Names

New York Fern, Tapering Fern, Fougère de New York, Thélyptéride de New York

Summary

Thelypteris noveboracensis, commonly known as New York fern, is a deciduous woodland fern native to eastern North America, it grows as a terrestrial plant with long creeping rhizomes that form large colonies, and fronds are fine-textured, yellow-green, with elliptic blades up to 15–60 cm long and deeply pinnatifid pinnae, giving a wispy, airy appearance, Sori are small and located near the margins of the pinnae, and growth favors moist woodland habitats near streams or swamps, it tolerates light to shade and is deer resistant, In cultivation, New York fern prefers part shade to full shade in humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils and is hardy in USDA zones 3a–8b, it propagates by division or spores and forms spreading colonies via creeping rhizomes, making a versatile groundcover for shady woodland gardens, mass plantings, and naturalized areas along streams or damp borders, Maintenance is low, requiring only removal of dead fronds and regular moisture to keep soils evenly moist, it tolerates mildly acidic to neutral soils and can fill gaps in woodland plantings while providing shelter for wildlife

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 2-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial sun to partial shade with some direct sun (about 2–6 hours); tolerates Full Sun and Full Shade

Soil Type

Moist, humus-rich loam that is well-drained and slightly acidic to neutral.

Soil Drainage

Moist, well-drained soil

Soil pH

4.5-7, Acidic to neutral soils, Not particular about soil pH

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Does not bloom

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Golden brown

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium

Seasons of Interest

Fall

Propagation Methods

Spores, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts songbirds