One of the most widely recognized residents of shady perennial beds, woodland gardens, and natural areas, ferns are fascinating perennials unlike any other, thriving as shady groundcovers and background plantings and providing unmatched foliage interest throughout the season. Though simply a basic leafy green plant to some, ferns not only offer a wide variety of appearances, including many great Minnesota native options, but they also have a lot more botanical magic going on than one might expect.

Belonging to the fern class, Polypodiopsida, with nearly 80% of species belonging to the order Polypodiales, ferns are an expansive grouping of well over 10,000 species native to regions worldwide, with their greatest density occurring in tropical climates.  Unlike virtually all other garden perennials that either flower and reproduce with enclosed seeds (angiosperms), or do not flower and instead reproduce by exposed seeds (gymnosperms), ferns are a category all their own, reproducing through more prehistoric means.

Ferns produce unique leaves (fronds), consisting of a leafy blade that is often variously divided into segments (pinnae), attached to a main leaf stalk (petiole), and are not typically bothered by deer or rabbit feeding. New fronds put on a show as the emerge in the spring, unrolling from the crown in their iconic spiraled fiddlehead form. This process, termed circinate vernation, protects the tender growing tip as the frond unfurls. Meanwhile, the lower sections photosynthesize as the frond emerges to increase solute concentrations inside, facilitating an increase in water volume that ultimately forces the rest of the frond to fully unfurl.

While most ferns produce just one type of frond, there are also some species, such as the cinnamon fern, Osmunda cinnamomea, that have dimorphic fronds, producing both sterile fronds, resembling a typical frond but lacking sporangia, as well as prominent fertile fronds emerging from the center of the plant. These fronds are also often a different color, as is the case with the beautiful golden fronds of the cinnamon fern.

Most notably, ferns reproduce by spores, first developing sori, the brown raised bumps that form on the undersides of mature fronds. These sori are groups of sporangia which contain spores and are occasionally also covered by specialized protective flaps of tissue called indusia. While the full reproductive process is somewhat complex, generally ferns will release spores in the summer, whereafter they must land on a suitable moist, protected site to germinate and begin growing. Many ferns also spread vegetatively through the spread of belowground elongated stems (rhizomes) or crawling aboveground stems (stolons), in addition to spore dispersal.

Ferns generally thrive in moist soils in part sun or shade, with many species tolerating consistently wet sites as well as heavy clay soils. There is an exceptional variety of ferns to choose from, each with their own unique beauty. Check out some of the best picks for Minnesota gardens below. Happy planting!

Adiantum pedatum (Northern Maidenhair Fern)

MN Native

24-36” H x 24-36” W

Delicate, fan-shaped lacy bright green fronds against striking black stems

Athyrium filix-femina (Lady Fern)

MN Native

24-36” H x 24-36” W

Bright green, fine-textured fronds and green or sometimes radiant red stems

Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern)

MN Native

48-60” H x 36-48” W

A vigorous fern with an attractive upright growth habit, forming a vase of feathery, fine-textured fronds

Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive Fern)

MN Native

24-36” H x 24-36” W

Unique, coarsely lobed, smooth light green fronds

Osmunda cinnamomea (Cinnamon Fern)

MN Native

36-48” H x 36-48” W

Large, attractive vase-like clumps of light green lacy fronds and showy golden fertile fronds produced in early spring, persisting into the summer

Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)

MN Native

24-36” H x 24-36” W

Drought Tolerant

Named for its firm evergreen fronds, great for dry shady sites and well-behaved

Athyrium niponicum (Painted Fern)

18-24” H x 18-24” W

Mounds of finely textured, dramatic silvery foliage featuring elegant hues of green, purple, and red

Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern)

18-24” H x 18-24” W

Semi-evergreen with stiff lacy fronds, emerging bright green with a radiant autumnal orange-red tint that fades to dark green as leaves mature

Dryopteris filix-mas (Male Fern)

36-48” H x 36-48” W

Wet/Black Walnut Tolerant

Large semi-evergreen fern with stiff, lacy green fronds