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Southern Shield Fern {3 1/2 in. Pots, min 25}
16 customer reviews
Dryopteris ludoviciana (AKA Aspidium ludovicianum, D, floridana, Nephrodium floridanum, A. floridanum, Filix floridana, Lastrea floridana, Southern Wood Fern, River Fern, Florida Shield Fern, Widespread Maiden Fern, Kunth's Maiden Fern, Louisiana Wood Fern)
Pronunciation: dry-OP-ter-iss loo-doh-viss-ee-AH-nah
Product: 2194

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What Southern Shield Fern brings to any garden is classic beauty with her shiny, patent-leather-like green foliage and upright growth habit reaching heights up to 4 feet and widths of 1 foot. Her vibrant aloe-like color is typical of ferns and as such offers an evergreen show in warmer areas. In cooler areas, Southern Shield is deciduous, dying back in the winter.

In these environments, her vivid green fans of foliage emerging from a bed of Vinca or Ivy in spring is a real show stopper. What Southern Shield will thank you for is loose, rich soil with moisture at its roots and protection from direct sun.

She is a southern girl, though and as such, will tolerate a great deal of drought. She forms clumping, and has a slow to moderate growth rate. Her creeping and branching habits make her a real lady in the garden, never invading an area you don't wish her to go. When you need height, vibrancy and movement, you'll want to consider Southern Shield.

Interesting Fact
"Ludoviciana" is the Latinized version of the word "Louisiana". This Dryopteris is native to swamps and wet woods from Florida to Texas and as far north as Kentucky and North Carolina.

Gardener Tips
You cannot go wrong placing Southern Shield in a bed of Vinca major where the two colors offer such striking contrast that she appears like a green sunrise in springtime.
See other plants that go well with this plant.
General information about Ferns:
When gardeners and landscape designers are looking for a dramatic, vibrant spray of color and foliage, they will often consider ferns for their project. In addition to sweeping texture and lush greenery, ferns work wonderfully as independent or companion perennials.

Perfect in mass plantings where they create the feeling of a field of grass swaying gently in soft breezes, ferns are also delightful as borders where they stand like shapely chartreuse soldiers at the edges of garden beds. Then again, when used as accents, in single plantings, or clusters amidst a rock garden, you have a moving work of willowy art.

But what to choose? You’ll be pleased to know that after more than 40 years of experimenting with various ferns, we have compiled a selection of the easiest to grow and hardiest ferns. Essentially, we’ve narrowed the list down for you, so you can select from our varieties with confidence. A bonus with our ferns is that all, except Japanese Painted Fern and Japanese Shield Fern are native to the United States.

Our ferns generally thrive in part shade and full shade. Have a full sun location? Southern Shield Fern even tolerates full sun! You will love the hardiness of our ferns as all of them are tolerant of drought and most are rarely eaten by deer.

Selections like Christmas Fern are wonderful erosion control options. With some ferns being evergreen and some semi-evergreen, you are sure to find the option that works wonderfully for your garden. Be sure to check each plant's Description tab for details.

Special note when planting bare root ferns in hot weather: If you plant bare root ferns during hot weather it is common for the foliage to die off. Do not fret, as long as you keep them moist they will grow back foliage. Depending on the severity of the heat it might not be until after summer ends.

See all ferns
Specifications
Shipping
No unusual shipping concerns for this plant.
FREE SHIPPING - Classy Groundcovers offers free shipping, and your plants never spend more than three days in transit.

Precise delivery - another benefit from shopping with us is that you know how to control exactly when your order will be shipped.

Shipping information that applies to all plants:
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- Special Delivery Instructions
- No Shipments To: AK, AZ, CA, HI, NV, OR, WA or internationally
- Changing Your Shipping Date
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Care
Performs best in well-drained (but moist) soil with added organic compost or peat moss. Best not to allow soil to dry out.
Will tolerate sun if given enough moisture.
Ferns have delicate foliage that often suffers during shipment and transplanting. Cut off any foliage that is broken, bent, brown or yellow - the plants will quickly recuperate with fresh growth. Bare root ferns are particularly prone to foliage loss, it is not uncommon to have to cut them off at ground level when transplanting. As long as the roots are firm they will recover, often showing new growth within weeks during warm months. If transplanting bare root ferns during warm weather they might not send up foliage until summer ends or the following spring (best to transplant bare root ferns when they are dormant: late fall to early spring).
General information that applies to all plants:
- Ground preparation, fertilization, pH
- Planting instructions
- Explanation and description of bare roots
- How to plant bare root plants
- If you cannot plant bare roots right away

Reviews
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Well packed!
09/09/2020 By Michele Vernon (NC)
Product reviewed: Southern Shield Fern {3 1/2 in. Pots min 25}

These plants arrived fresh and lovely despite being mis-delivered by UPS. They were planted immediately and look good after a few days in the ground.
Southern Shield Ferns
08/13/2019 By Linda Kilpatrick (AL)
Product reviewed: Southern Shield Fern {3 1/2 in. Pots min 25}

25 beautiful healthy ferns - no more rhizomes for me!
Fern order
07/02/2019 By Janice Tidwell (AL)
Product reviewed: Southern Shield Fern {3 1/2 in. Pots min 25}

Ferns were in great condition. Very pleased with shipment time/delivery. Love the look of plants against my back fence! Thanks so much.
Nice ferns
04/12/2019 By Robert Menees (VA)
Product reviewed: Southern Shield Fern {3 1/2 in. Pots min 25}

Well packaged, timely delivery and healthy plants. They're in the ground and growing.
Tough little plants!
10/01/2018 By woodland gardener
Product reviewed: Southern Shield Fern {3 1/2 in. Pots min 25}

We planted a patch of southern shield ferns in our backyard last year and they did really well. Couldn't find this particular variety at any local garden centers this summer, so I took a chance and ordered 25 ferns online. The plants arrived hydrated and healthy... Read full review >
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