About

Dryopteris filix-mas 'Crispum' is a neat, compact cultivar of the male fern with attractively crisped or ruffled frond margins, forming a small, graceful shuttlecock of divided fronds. A charming and garden-worthy selection for a shaded border or pot.

About the genus

Dryopteris, the shield ferns, are deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen ferns forming shuttlecock-like rosettes of lance-shaped to broadly triangular, pinnately divided fronds on stout rhizomes. They range from compact rock garden species to large, architectural woodland ferns and are among the most useful and adaptable of all garden ferns.

Plant details

Suggested usesShade gardens, woodland, containers.

Care notes

CultivationPlant in moist, humus-rich soil in shade.
PruningRemove old fronds in spring as new growth emerges.
PropagationDivide established clumps or grow from spores.
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free. Monitor for common garden pests.
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-resistant. Ensure good air circulation.