Ross' Woodfern

Dryopteris rossii

Taxonomy

Division:
Pteridophyta | - Ferns
Family:
Polypodiaceae
Genus:
Dryopteris
Species:
Dryopteris rossii

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
1-2 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Colors:
green

Native Range

United States: Arizona

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 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers shaded forest understories

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