Native Ferns of Ontario for Shade Gardens & Woodland Plantings

Native ferns of Ontario are essential for shaded gardens, woodland plantings, and moist natural areas. They stabilize soil, retain moisture, suppress weeds, and create cool, resilient ground layers that support biodiversity.

Ferns are ideal for:

shade and part-shade gardens
underplanting trees and shrubs
woodland restoration
shoreline and moist soils
naturalizing difficult low-light areas
deer-resistant plantings

When planted in drifts, ferns create a lush, low-maintenance ground layer that mimics the forest floor.

Ferns combine beautifully with native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees to create layered woodland plantings.

VIEW/DOWNLOAD OUR 2023 CATALOGUE (PDF)

We are preparing to have the following fern species in our 2026 inventory. Check with us regarding availability and sizing. Ferns will be available in 4″ pots, 5″ pots and 1 gal.

Contact maya@naturalthemes.com to confirm availability.

2026 Catalogue of species COMING SOON (pdf)

wdt_ID	Species (Botanical)	Common Name(s)	Family	Avg. Height	Winter Interest	Amount of Sunlight	Moisture Tolerance	Drought Tolerance	Soil Tolerance	Remarks
1	Adiantum pedatum	Maidenhair Fern	Polypodiaceae	30-60 cm	NO	Full Shade, Part Shade	Mesic	NO	rich	delicate fern for woodland gardens
2	Athyrium filix-femina	Lady Fern	Dryopteridaceae	60-120 cm	NO	Full Shade, Part Shade	Mesic	NO	rich	delicate, lacy appearance; enhances woodland garden
3	Dryopteris marginalis	Wood Fern	Polypodiaceae	60 cm	YES	Full Shade, Part Shade	Mesic	NO	rich	evergreen foliage
4	Matteuccia struthiopteris	Ostrich Fern	Polypodiaceae	90-180 cm	YES	Full Shade, Part Shade	Moist	NO	rich	best know for its edible fiddleheads, fertile fronds persist through winter
5	Onoclea sensibilis	Sensitive Fern	Polypodiaceae	45-90 cm	YES	Full Shsde, Part Shade	Moist	NO	rich	senstive to frost, hence the name; fertile fronds persist through winter
6	Osmunda cinnamomea	Cinnamon Fern	Osmundaceae	60-150 cm	NO	Full Shade, Part Shade	Moist	NO	rich	fertile frond is a cinnamon colour
7	Osmunda regalis	Royal Fern	Osmudaceae	1-1.5 m	NO	Full Shade, Part Shade	Moist	NO	rich	a tall delicate fern for shorelines; grow with cardinal flower
8	Polystichum acrostichoides	Christmas Fern	Polypodiaceae	30-60 cm	YES	Full Shade, Part Shade	Mesic	NO	rich	robust, evergreen fern prized for shade gardens
11	Cystopteris bulbifera	Bulblet Fern	Dryopteridaceae	30-60 cm		Full Shade, Part Shade	mesic		calcareous soils	Found naturally on calcareous sites and in the crevices of cliffs, on rocky slopes, moss-covered boulders, shaded banks, rocky outcrops.
	Species (Botanical)	Common Name(s)	Family	Avg. Height	Winter Interest	Amount of Sunlight	Moisture Tolerance	Drought Tolerance	Soil Tolerance	Remarks