Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Ferns

Dryopteris sublacera

torn wood fern

A fairly compact, clump-forming to spreading, evergreen fern with tapering fronds and individual leaflets (pinnae) with rounded tips. The stems develop reddish-brown bristly scales.

Other common names

textured shield fern

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Clay

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Neutral, Acid

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or East–facing or North–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Dryopteridaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Dryopteris can be deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen ferns, with stout, erect or decumbent rhizomes and shuttlecock-like rosettes of lance-shaped to ovate, pinnately divided fronds
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most cool, moist, lightly shaded sites. May require some winter protection during cold winters. For more information see how to grow ferns for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division or spores

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds
Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

No pruning required. Can remove any faded fronds if required.

Pests

May be susceptible to Acer gall mite, aphids, caterpillars and horse chestnut scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to Verticillium wilt, Acer leaf scorch and honey fungus

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.