Braum's Holly Fern is a creeping, crown-forming rhizome in the wood fern family (Polypodiaceae) native to Eurasia and North America. It prefers moist, humus rich soil but tolerates dry soil after established. It also prefers cool temperatures. This plant is seldom damaged by deer. This fern has a wide, arching vase of lustrous, bipinnate dark green, leathery fronds. The blade tapers to the base. It has 20 to 40 pairs of closely spaced pinna and 16 to 18 pairs of closely spaced, bristle-toothed, oblong or ovate pinnules. The lower pinnules hug the rachis. The stipe, rachis, and fiddlehead have dense covering of silvery scales, that when mature turn brown. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Crown rot is possible in poorly drained soil. VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum . More information on Polystichum .
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 drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 8 in. - 2 ft. 4 in. | Width: 1 ft. 8 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Wide arching vase of lustrous, bipinnate dark green, leathery fronds. The blade tapers to base. It has 20 to 40 pairs of closely spaced pinna and 16 to 18 pairs of closely spaced, bristle-toothed, oblong or ovate pinnules. The lower pinnules hug the rachis. The stipe, rachis, and fiddlehead have a dense covering of silvery hairs.
Flower detail
No flowers.
Fruit detail
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Temp. Northern Hemisphere
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Slope/Bank; Woodland
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Rock Garden; Shade Garden; Winter Garden