Woodwardia virginica , commonly known as Virginia Chain Fern, can be found naturally in where soils are moist, acidic, and contain a plentiful amount of organic matter. Environments such as bogs, wetlands, and occasionally flooded coastal plain ponds are sites that support the natural growth of this plant. It does best when planted in moist areas near bogs, streams, ponds, or water gardens. Plant in full sun to shade; sandy to humus-rich acidic soil. It is easy to grow and spreads rapidly. 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) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Lustrous, dark green, leathery fronds in a close mass; broadest in middle; pinnate-pinnatifid; alternating pairs of closely spaced pinnae; short blunt lobes; pinnule are narrow, point upward, and taper at both ends; rachis is dark purple brown below. Fronds emerge coppery red in color.