• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Open Every Day, Monday-Sunday, 9am-6pm
  • 713-861-5702
  • Location

Buchanan's Native PlantsBuchanan's Native Plants

Houston's favorite garden center devoted to Texas native plants and organic gardening.

Hide Search
Buchanan's Logo
  • Plants
        • Gift Card
        • Spread the love of gardening with your friends and family. Purchase a Buchanan’s gift card here!

        • Plants Overview
        • Annuals
        • Cacti and Succulents
        • Citrus and Fruit
        • Herbs and Vegetables
        • House Plants
        • Perennials
        • Roses
        • Shrubs
        • Texas Natives
        • Trees
        • Vines
  • Lawn and Garden
        • Outdoor garden with pergola
        • Dedicated to native plants and organic gardening,  we are experienced in helping customers create a lovely outdoor setting with the best quality native plants and environmentally safe organic products available today.

        • Lawn and Garden
        • Soils, Mulch and Amendments
        • Fertilizer
        • Garden Tools and Accessories
        • Pest, Weed and Fungus control
        • Birding
  • House and Home
        • Spartina Blue 2023
        • From entryways to vase fillers, we’ve curated a selection of unique home decor, and fashion items from around the world.  We believe your home should be as beautiful as your garden and with Buchanan’s — it’s easy for your style to blossom.

        • Boutique

        • House and Home
        • Fashion and Fragrance
        • Indoor Gardening
        • Kids
        • Purchase a gift card
        • Outdoor Living

        • Fountains
        • Outdoor Decor
        • Pottery
  • Shop Online
    • Purchase plants
    • Purchase a gift card
    • Gift Card Ordering Information
  • Resources
        • A Buchanan's Plants associate holds a bag of seeds
        • Tips and Resources

          Resources to help you create the garden of your dreams. From how-to videos, monthly tips, and a comprehensive plant library – explore what Buchanan’s has to offer.

        • Gardening Articles
        • Gardening Calendar
        • Gardening Guides
        • Gardeners’ Rewards
        • Helpful Resources
        • How to Videos
        • Plant Library
        • Soil and Mulch Calculator
  • News
    • This Week at Buchanan’s
    • Events, Seminars, and Workshops
  • About
        • Buchanan’s Native Plants has been serving Houston gardeners since 1986. Located in the historic Houston Heights, the garden center is dedicated to native plants and organic gardening.  You will find the best selections of hardy natives as well as perennials, herbs, vegetables, trees, shrubs & roses — all suited to the Houston climate.

        • About Us
          • Buchanan’s History
        • Our Team
        • Careers
        • Donation Request
        • FAQ
        • Contact Us
  • Show Search
Home » Plant Library » Ferns » Christmas Fern
Christmas Fern | Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas Fern

Botanical name: Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas Fern’s ferny compound leaves remain forest green in color throughout the year. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant..

Other names: Shield Fern

  • Characteristics
  • Features and Attributes
  • Planting and Growing

Characteristics

Hardiness zone 3a
Foliage type evergreen
Plant form arching
Mature height 18 inches
Spread 18 inches
Light requirements

partial shade to shade

Moisture requirements

moist

Plant origin North American native

Ornamental Features

Christmas Fern's ferny compound leaves remain forest green in color throughout the year. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes

Christmas Fern is an herbaceous evergreen fern with a shapely form and gracefully arching fronds. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Christmas Fern is recommended for the following landscape applications;

Mass Planting, Rock/Alpine Gardens, Border Edging, General Garden Use, Groundcover, Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting and Growing

Christmas Fern will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 16 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is native to parts of North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division.

Tips

Our Monthly To-Do List For Your Garden

This month
Woman Holding A Box With Herbs In Her Hands

Store Address and Hours

Buchanan’s Native Plants
611 East 11th Street
Houston, Texas 77008

713-861-5702

Hours: 9 am – 6 pm
Open Every Day – Monday – Sunday

Stay in touch

Receive our weekly newsletter containing the latest specials, up-coming events and seminars.

* indicates required

NEW! Receive special offers, updates, content, and more via text!

Join our Mobile Text Club!

Connect on Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Tiktok
  • YouTube

We love your garden®

Copyright © 1999 - 2025 Buchanan's Native Plants, All Rights Reserved.

  • Return Policy
  • Privacy Policy