Braun's holly fern
Polystichum braunii · Polypodiaceae
A neat vase of glossy, dark fronds with bristle-tipped leaflets, covered when young in silvery scales that turn golden brown.
- Size
- 24 in tall, 2½ ft wide
- Zones
- 3 to 8
- Light
- Part shade to shade
- Flowers
- Grown for its leaves
- Pets
- No toxicity recorded
- Job in a bed
- Drift
A bed built around braun's holly fern
The planner designed this bed around braun's holly fern when this page was made: a 12 × 6 ft (3.7 × 1.8 m) English border in zone 6, part shade. It chose the other plants from the 513 that suit those conditions, and says below why braun's holly fern stands where it does.
The plants
- 1 Braun's holly fern × 1, dark green leaves
- 2 Moor grass 'Greenlee' × 7, tan
- 3 Polyanthus primrose × 8, yellow
- 4 Japanese meadowsweet × 3, pink
- 5 Blue wood aster × 5, lavender
- 6 Bleeding heart 'Gold Heart' × 1, pink
- 7 Winter cyclamen × 12, white
- 8 Snowdrop × 12, white
Why this plant
- The only plant grown for its leaves. Leaf lasts all season, where a flower lasts a few weeks.
Why here
- In the middle. At 24 in it is the step between polyanthus primrose (8 in) in front and Japanese meadowsweet (3½ ft) behind: each is seen over the one before.
- One plant. Three or more is usual for a plant of this kind, and reads better.
Why now
- Here for its leaves, into winter. They cover the 8 weeks between early March and late November when nothing on the plan is in flower.
Planned as an English border: 4 of the 5 groups (80%) are drifts, longer along the bed than they are deep. The bed is balanced: the left half carries 41% of the visual weight and the right half 59%. Moor grass 'Greenlee', fine in leaf, stands next to bold-leaved Japanese meadowsweet, and each shows the other off.
The planner's own design check: 10 Excellent, 6 Good, 1 Satisfactory. It flags one thing to watch: Nothing on this plan is highly poisonous or an aggressive spreader.
Open this bed in the planner Change its size, the sun or the style, move plants about, or swap one for another.
Where braun's holly fern goes in a border
At 24 in it belongs in the middle of a bed. In the planner's ten height classes it is medium short (18 to 24 in).
Its job: drift. Planted in a small group of three or five, and repeated further along in the other number.
A rare native of cool northern woods, and hardy to zone 3. Its regular, shuttlecock shape gives order to a woodland bed.
- A shuttlecock fern for cold climates
- Cool, moist woodland
- Formal shape among loose plants
What to plant with braun's holly fern
Plants recorded as good partners for it, and what each pairing does:
- Foamflower: adds the flowers, late April to late May; low enough (10 in) to stand in front of it; happy in the same moist soil.
- Wild ginger: bold leaves against its medium ones; low enough (6 in) to stand in front of it; happy in the same moist soil.
- Hosta: bold leaves against its medium ones; happy in the same moist soil.
Questions about braun's holly fern
Does braun's holly fern need sun or shade?
Braun's holly fern grows in part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light). It is one of the few that also put up with deep shade.
It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.
What zones does braun's holly fern grow in?
USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).
Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.
Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.
How far apart should braun's holly fern be planted?
24 in (60 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 2½ ft (75 cm), so a group knits into one patch.
It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.
How many braun's holly fern plants do I need?
At 24 in apart, set out in staggered rows:
- 3 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
- 6 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
- 10 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own
In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.
In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.
Is braun's holly fern poisonous to dogs and cats?
No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.
"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.
Do deer eat braun's holly fern?
Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.
What does braun's holly fern look like in winter?
Braun's holly fern holds some of its leaves into winter, more in a mild year or a sheltered spot, and they look tired by March. Cut the old ones off as new growth starts.
More Polystichum
- Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
- Korean rock fern Polystichum tsus-simense
- Makino's holly fern Polystichum makinoi
- Soft shield fern Polystichum setiferum
- Tassel fern Polystichum polyblepharum
- Western sword fern Polystichum munitum
In these guides
- Plants for deep shade
- Deer-resistant plants for shade
- Rabbit-resistant plants
- Pet-safe plants for shade
- Native plants for shade
- Garden plants native to Canada
Zone guides: Zone 3 · Zone 4 · Zone 5 · Zone 6 · Zone 7 · Zone 8
Every fact on record
- Type
- Fern
- Size
- 24 in (60 cm) tall, 2½ ft (75 cm) wide
- Plant
- 24 in (60 cm) apart
- Height class
- Medium short (18 to 24 in)
- Place in the bed
- Middle
- Flowers
- None: grown for its foliage
- Leaves
- Medium texture, semi-evergreen; dark green
- Shape
- Vase-shaped, clumping
- Hardy in
- USDA zones 3 to 8
- Light
- Part shade, shade
- Soil
- Rich, evenly moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Feeding
- None needed
- Family
- Polypodiaceae
- Comes from
- Temp. Northern Hemisphere
- Stands up to
- Deer, rabbits, deep shade
Checked against NC State Extension and VASCAN (plants of Canada). Flowering times are for zone 5: later in colder zones, earlier in warmer ones. Toxicity and spread information is a general gardening guide, not veterinary or medical advice, and invasive status varies by region. If a person or pet eats a plant, contact poison control or a vet. Check your local invasive species list before planting anything with a spread warning.