Maiden ferns comprise the genus Thelypteris whose scientific name is derived from Greek words thēlys meaning female and pteris for fern. One of this fern's common names is Kunth's maiden fern in honor of Carl Sigismund Kunth (1788 – 1850), an early systematic German botanist. The native distribution of this fern is the southeastern United States, extending west to Texas and down through Central Americal to the northern regions of South America. It is also native to the Caribbean islands. This easy to grow fern is showy with long arching, bright sea green fronds. It is tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions including heat, high humidity, poor drainage, short periods of drought, deep shade to short exposures to direct sun and soil conditions ranging from high organic matter to loam or sand. It has both short and long creeping rhizomes allowing it to spread quickly and form colonies. The fiddleheads of this fern are among the last to appear in the late spring. A defining feature of this fern is its transition from bright green to a bronze color before it dies back in the fall in cooler climates. In frost-free zones, it can be evergreen to semi-evergreen. The southern shield fern makes an excellent native, woodland ground cover because it has both short and long creeping rhizomes that allow it to spread into colonies. With a medium growth rate, it is well-behaved in its natural habitat. It is also excellent for soil stabilization on slopes particularly near sources of water. It pairs nicely with other shade-loving plants such as hostas, heucheras, trillium and woodland phlox. Quick ID Hints: Deciduous fronds turn a bronze color at the end of the season, in frost-free areas this fern can be evergreen to semi-evergreen. Sori: are kidney-shaped and organized in two rows adjacent to the midvein of each pinna. Pinnae have simple veins and hairy indusia. Very fine translucent hairs are present on both sides of the leaves. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum .
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); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.