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Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
Also known as: Christmas fern • dagger fern
Kingdom: Viridiplantae• Family: Dryopteridaceae• Order: Polypodiales
Polystichum acrostichoides, commonly denominated Christmas fern, is a perennial, evergreen fern native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota and south to Florida and eastern Texas. It is one of the most common ferns in eastern North America, being found in moist and shady habitats in woodlands, stream banks and rocky slopes. The common name derives from the evergreen fronds, which are often still green at Christmas.
📌 Ecology
P. acrostichoides is parasitized by the fungus Taphrina polystichi, which causes yellowish to whitish galls on the fronds.
The moth Herpetogramma sphingealis has larvae that feed on Christmas ferns. This moth species is primarily found where Christmas ferns are abundant and was given a scientific description in 2011.
File:Clumped (8312542938).jpg| Polystichum acrostichoides growing in Tiadaghton State Forest, Lycoming County, along the Golden Eagle Trail.
📌 Cultivation
Christmas fern is popular in cultivation as an ornamental plant for gardens, including natural gardens, as it is easy to cultivate in a range of environments and soils. Being evergreen, it is sometimes used in winter-oriented garden design.
This fern can conserve soil and allay erosion of steep slopes. The fronds are semi-erect until the first killing frost, after which they lie prostrate on the ground and effectively hold in place the duff layer of the forest floor, enabling the gradual decomposition of the duff into humus, which in turn builds the soil.
Quick Facts
Common Names:
Christmas Fern, Christmas fern, dagger fern
Class:
Polypodiopsida
Data Completeness:
100%
Data Sources
🌍gbif
📚itis
📖wikipedia
🔬eol
🦎inaturalist
References
All references are verified for authenticity. We prioritize peer-reviewed studies, reputable databases (iNaturalist, GBIF), and established encyclopedias.
Distribution Statistics
10
Observations
10
Countries
Top Locations
Holderness, NH, USA
1
Rutherford County, NC, USA
1
North Carolina, US
1
Kentucky, US
1
Municipio de Victoria, Tamps., México
1
Recent Observers
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First: 7/26/2013 · Latest: 3/30/2025
Data aggregates species content from multiple sources including Wikipedia, iNaturalist, GBIF, and ITIS. Content may transform over time. Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.