About Christmas fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Perennial Fern
Dryopteridaceae Family
Maryland Distribution: woodlands, stream banks and other shady slopes throughout the state
Height: 8-16 inches
Blooms: Inconspicuous fertile pinnules occur at the tips of the fronds in late spring.
Sun: shade
Soil: Moist to dry soils, sand to clay, pH of neutral to acid. Particularly fond of areas where they can wick moisture up from lower ground.
Garden Use & Maintenance: This evergreen, clump forming fern makes an excellent specimen, border plant. Dark green, slightly shiny fronds contrast nicely with the foliage of many other shade loving perennials. Heavy snow will flatten fronds, but they remain evergreen. Some gardeners trim back the previous year's foliage when the new fiddles appear, but this is unnecessary in all but the most formal settings and reduces the plant's capacity to photosynthesize.
Wildlife: At one time considered deer proof, overpopulated herds are now observed grazing Christmas ferns in garden and natural settings where there is nothing else left to eat. Wood ferns, ostrich ferns, and sensitive ferns are some other native species that are resistant to deer browsing.