Siebold's woodfern is a slow-growing, evergreen herbaceous perennial in the polypody family (Polypodiaceae). It is native to southeastern China and Japan. The species epithet commemorates German physician and botanist Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold (1796–1866), who introduced European medicine to Japan and Japanese plants to Europe. This fern is easy to grow in partial to full shade in well-drained, humus-rich, moist soil. Once established, it is fairly drought- and heat-tolerant. It is evergreen to about 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a good ornamental fern with broad, leathery leaves. The slow-growing fern has short, creeping rhizomes. It can ultimately grow up to 3 feet wide by 3 feet high. Plant in a woodland setting or small spaces. It also does well in Asian, shade and winter gardens. It can also be grown in a container. 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
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Arching sterile fronds; erect fertile fronds with slightly narrower pinnae; have only 2-5 pairs of broad, leathery, undivided pinnae; terminal pinna is 8-12 in. long
Flower detail
No Flowers.
Fruit detail
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
South China and Japan
Distribution
Eastern China, Japan, Taiwan
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Small Space; Woodland
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Rain Garden; Shade Garden; Winter Garden