Ferns suitable for Monroe County woodlands
Intoductory notes
Species listed are generally conceded to be either native to Monroe County, Pennsylvania or, if absent on distribution maps, are found in distribution in surrounding counties and may have been missed in distribution analysis, extirpated due to development, or are reasonably expected to do well in local landscapes.
The list is restricted to those species that are commercially available for purchase, with relative availability measured by few (one to five mail order nurseries), several (six to fourteen mail order nurseries) and many (more than fifteen nurseries). In some cases, named varieties exist, but were not included in the rankings.
The purpose of the list is to provide for general groupings of species; once grouped, user is encouraged to evaluate relationships in greater detail to establish ecologically sound landscape patterns or woodland restoration.
Light references (SU for sun, PS for part shade and SH for shade) may not be accurate predictors in a specific habitat and should be used only as general guidance. See other articles relating to shade evaluation elsewhere on this site for details.
Moisture requirements are as reported by many observers. "Dry to moist" can suggest a range of habits or mesic, and both dry and moist are relative terms.
Soil notes are reported as discovered from many sources and are designed to assist in narrowing combinations to useful habitat collections.
| Species | Light | Water | Soil | Cty? | Avail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adiantum pedatum | PS SH | moist | sandy organic loam | Y | many |
| Asplenium bradleyi | PS SH | dry | acidic rocky | N | few |
| Asplenium platyneuron | PS SH | dry - moist | sandy clay loam | Y | many |
| Asplenium rhizophyllum | PS SH | dry - moist | calcareous loam | Y | several |
| Asplenium trichomanes | PS SH | dry - moist | rocky loam | Y | several |
| Athyrium felix-femina | PS | moist | rich sandy loam | Y | many |
| Botrychium virginianum | PS SH | moist | rich sandy loam | Y | few |
| Cheilanthes lanosa | PS SH | dry | sandy loam | Y | many |
| Cystopteris bulifera | PS SH | moist | calcareous | Y | few |
| Dennstaedtia punctiloba | SU PS | dry | well drained loam | Y | several |
| Dryopteris carthusiana | PS SH | moist | organic loam | Y | many |
| Dryopteris clintoniana | PS SH | wet | rich | Y | few |
| Dryopteris cristata | PS SH | moist | rich clay loam | Y | few |
| Dryopteris goldiana | PS SH | moist | rich | Y | many |
| Dryopteris intermedia | PS SH | moist | organic loam | Y | few |
| Dryopteris marginalis | PS SH | moist | sandy clay loam | Y | many |
| Gymnocarpium dryopteris | PS SH | moist | rich organic | Y | few |
| Lygodium palmaatum | PS SH | moist | rich | Y | few |
| Matteuchia struthiopteris | PS SH | moist | organic loam | Y | many |
| Onoclea sensibilis | SU PS SH | moist | sandy clay loam | Y | many |
| Osmunda cinnamomea | SU PS SH | moist | clay loam | Y | many |
| Osmunda claytoniana | PS SH | dry | clay loam | Y | many |
| Osmunda regalis | SU PS SH | moist - wet | sandy clay loam | Y | several |
| Phegopteris connectilis | PS SH | dry - moist | rocky sandy loam | Y | several |
| Phegopteris hexagonoptera | PS SH | dry - moist | acidic sandy clay loam | Y | few |
| Polygonum virginianum | SU PS | dry - moist | rich sandy loam | Y | several |
| Polypodium virginianum | PS SH | moist | rich loam | Y | several |
| Polystichum acrostichoides | PS SH | moist | sandy loam | Y | many |
| Pteridium aquilinum | SU PS | dry | acidic sandy loam | Y | several |
| Thelypteris noveboracensis | PS SH | moist | sandy clayloam | Y | several |
| Woodsia obtusa | PS SH | dry - moist | sandy clay loam | Y | few |
| Woodwardia areolata | PS SH | moist - wet | rich loam | Y | few |