About
Polystichum lonchitis, the mountain holly fern, is a tufted, evergreen fern to around 45 cm producing narrow, lance-shaped, once-pinnate, glossy, dark-green fronds with spiny-toothed pinnae in neat, shuttlecock-like rosettes. A beautiful native fern for a shaded, moist, sheltered position in a rock garden or border.
About the genus
Polystichum are mostly evergreen or semi-evergreen ferns with short, stout rhizomes and pinnately divided fronds in neat, shuttlecock-like rosettes. Among the most reliable and ornamental of all shade-tolerant ferns.
Plant details
Suggested usesShade gardens, woodland, containers.
Care notes
CultivationPlant in moist, humus-rich soil in shade.
PruningRemove old fronds in spring.
PropagationPropagate by division, cuttings, or seed.
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free.
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-resistant.