Hedge Fern

Polystichum setiferum (Dryopteridaceae) is an evergreen fern native to Europe and temperate Asia. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall with soft, twice-pinnate fronds that are more finely cut and feathery than the related P. munitum. The texture is notably soft to the touch (hence "soft shield fern").

Soft shield fern thrives in part shade to shade on moist, humus-rich soil. It is available in dozens of cultivars, many with elaborately divided or crested fronds selected by Victorian fern enthusiasts. Propagation from bulbils (small plantlets) that form along the frond rachis is a distinctive feature of many cultivars. Hardy in Zones 6 to 9.