Goldie's woodfern is an herbaceous perennial in the polypody family (Polypodiaceae). The fern’s native range is a wide area of eastern North America, including North Carolina. It is found in the rich moist soil of forested areas and seepage swamps in the mountains and Piedmont of NC. The species epithet honors Scottish plant collector John Goldie, who first brought this fern from Canada to the UK. The plant is easy to grow and prefers moist, humus-rich soil in partial to full shade. Once established, plants are difficult to move. This fern prefers fertile acidic soils, protection from the wind and humid conditions. It is one of the largest ferns in this genus, growing to 4 feet tall. It will spread slowly by short rhizomes (with an elevated crown) to form a 6-foot clump. It is easy to distinguish from other ferns not only by its size but also by the backward-arching, oblong-triangular fronds. The fronds taper near the tip. Use in a woodland garden, along ponds, streams or bogs, or massed in a native garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No issues noted. VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum . More information on Dryopteris .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Fronds are 2-3' long, 1-1½' across, ovate shaped, and form a loose rosette. They are backward-arching, dark green to golden green, and taper abruptly near the tip and slightly narrowing at the base. These fronds have large oblong triangular, pinnate-pinnatifid blades, and the 7-8 flattened pinnae are pale green along the margins. Segments have a firm texture. They have a long, thick stipe and are very scaly at the base. The compound leaf has 12-18 pairs of leaflets that are alternate on the stalk. The sori are on the underside of the leaflets and lie near the midvein. Fronds turn pale yellow in fall.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower detail
No flowers.
Fruit detail
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Stem color
Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Stems are green to gray-green and covered with brownish scales. They are 1/3 the length of the frond.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
East Canada to U.S.A
Distribution
Eastern United States and Canada
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Near Septic; Pond; Small Space; Woodland