Phegopteris Species, Broad Beech Fern

This fern is flourishing along the northeast side of our house. Its triangular light-green fronds are showy in an understated way. It spr...Read Moreeads much more slowly than ostrich fern, and is therefore lower maintenance. It fills in its area very nicely without needing to be pruned back every year. Since it's only 12-18" tall, it doesn't completely shade out the other plants. It just nicely surrounds them.

According to Lois Trigg Chaplin in her book "The Southern Gardener's Book Of Lists", this fern is an excellent choice for a groundcover. ...Read More She said that it spreads "fairly quickly to provide easy maintenance for a bed." Taylor Trade Publishing, 1994

I have a lot of ferns and this one is a favorite. It is a native plant that I tried in a moist flower bed. It is lovely with hostas, runn...Read Moreing around and through them.