Woodfern

Dryopteris × slossoniae

Taxonomy

Division:
Pteridophyta | - Ferns
Family:
Polypodiaceae
Genus:
Dryopteris
Species:
Dryopteris × slossoniae

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
3-4 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Colors:
Not Applicable

Native Range

United States: Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, Canada: New Brunswick, Ontario

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★★ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers shaded, forested environments

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o