Home » Finding Your Perfect Plants

Tennessee Ostrich Fern {Bare Root Plants, min 10}
32 customer reviews
Homalosorus pycnocarpon (AKA Asplenium angustifolium, Athyrium angustifolium, A. pycnocarpon, Diplaziopsis pycnocarpa, Diplazium pycnocarpon, D. pycnocarpon, Athyrium pycnocarpon, Glade Fern, Narrow Leaf Spleenwort, Narrow Leaf Glade Fern)
Pronunciation: hoh-mah-loh-SOR-us pik-no-KAR-pon
Product: 79196
Shipping description: This product can be shipped to all 48 continental states

FREE SHIPPING!
On Sale!: $4.97
Discount: 29%
In stock.
Shop With Confidence
Read reviews of us: Google - - Dave's Garden.
Secure online billing.
We assure your privacy.

Content note: AI-assisted: Some images, descriptions, or plant specifications on this page may have been created or revised with the assistance of AI. This content is checked, but inaccuracies may remain.

Please also note: Images show mature plants during peak season; young plants may take several years to develop similar colors. Flower and foliage colors vary with season (deciduous plants ordered fall through spring might have yellow/brown foliage or no foliage), growing conditions, and photography. If this plant is new to you, or you would like a broader sense of its natural color range, please view additional photographs [here], and feel free to contact us with questions.
Discover the understated charm of Homalosorus pycnocarpon, a woodland fern that brings a touch of serene beauty to shady garden spaces. Commonly known as Tennessee Ostrich Fern, Glade Fern, and the narrow-leaved glade fern, this deciduous species is prized for its elegant, arching fronds and its adaptability to deep shade environments where other plants might struggle to thrive.

The delicate fronds of Homalosorus pycnocarpon emerge in the spring, each leaf unfurling to reveal narrow, finely divided leaflets that create a texture both lush and intricate. This fern’s greenery, vibrant and fresh, adds a soft, naturalistic feel to any landscape, blending perfectly with other shade-loving plants or serving as a verdant ground cover under taller trees.

Thriving in moist, well-drained soil, this fern is particularly suited to naturalized areas, such as woodland gardens, where it can spread gently to form a dense carpet of green. Its preference for cooler, shaded environments also makes it an excellent choice for north-facing gardens or areas beside streams or water features, where it can benefit from the cooler microclimate.

Homalosorus pycnocarpon is not only a delight for the eyes but also a practical choice for low-maintenance gardening. It is largely pest-free and requires little care beyond ensuring adequate moisture and protection from harsh sun. Embrace the quiet elegance of the narrow-leaved glade fern and let it transform your shaded garden spaces into a lush, tranquil retreat.

Homalosorus pycnocarpon offers an erect, feathery plume of vibrant, lush green, divided, lanceolate fronds that arch gracefully outward into a symmetric clump. So interesting to watch grow and examine at all maturity levels, Ostrich Fern has a magnificently dramatic effect when used for naturalizing foliage backdrops, foundations, boundaries, and fresh arrangements.

It grows from an entirely vertical crown but sends out lateral stolons to form new crowns. This unique trait makes Tennessee Ostrich fern perfect for resisting floodwater destruction (like creek banks) because it can form such dense colonies.

Tennessee Ostrich fern will reward you with a quick-growing, lush thicket if you treat her to a light mulching of leaves around slightly exposed crowns. She does require moist soil, especially in hot, dry climates and prefers loamy, humus-rich soil in partial shade with only morning sun. If you do have heavy, clay soil, you will find that Ostrich Fern is also willing to grow there, and will reward you even more handsomely if you amend the soil.

Fertile fronds are produced after the vegetative fronds and persist throughout the following winter; the spores shed in mid-winter.

Winter dormant with a moderate growth rate, under good conditions you can expect Tennessee Ostrich Fern to spread reasonably fast by stout rhizomes.

People love this fern because it is low-maintenance and easy to grow while offering reliable, rich color and height to full shade gardens.

Things to Note
Sunlight in zones 8-10 must be minimal or indirect.

After spring, these are trimmed cut back to about 8 inches tall for shipment and will arrive as such.

Interesting Fact

Gardener Tips
Ostrich ferns will grow quite large, but keep in mind that the larger they are the more moisture they will require.

Tennessee Ostrich ferns will thrive in deep shade, but anticipate them to be smaller than if they were placed in partial shade when planning your garden.

If you are considering purchasing this plant in bare root form, please read about bare root plants so you know what to expect.
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 hpw to control exactly when your order will be shipped.

Shipping information that applies to all plants:
- You May Specify Your Shipping Date
- Lookup Shipping Date and Tracking Information
- Special Delivery Instructions
- Changing Your Shipping Date
- Accepting Delivery
- Unpacking Your Order
- Returns
Care
Performs best in well-drained (but moist) soil with added organic compost or peat moss. Best not to allow soil to dry out.
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
Share your thoughts with other customers
Create your own review
We now primarily use Google Customer Reviews.
Page:
Excellent
05/25/2016 By Abi D'Sa
Product reviewed: Tennessee Ostrich Fern {Bare Root Plants, min 25}

The 25 ostrich ferns arrived on time and were in dormant but excellent shape.

Ordered and received 10 bulbs quick and packaged well. We followed soil prep and some little organic feed mixture instructions. As of this third week in ground with plenty of Heaven's water & some of our own; we now have 7 plants that are maturing. A 70% factor... Read full review >

I am satisfied with the bare root ferns that I received. The plants appear to be healthy and the condition of the plants matched my expectations.

Wonderful large, dense bare root ferns. 9 of ten sprouted within 24 hours of planting the 10th came along a day or two later.
Love my ferns !
04/26/2016 By Richard Jellig
Product reviewed: Tennessee Ostrich Fern {Bare Root Plants, min 10}

The ferns I ordered came right on time and nice and fresh wrapped in a plastic bag . I planted them the next day and two days later new sprouts are popping out of the ground . I will definitely be buying more plants from here !!
We now primarily use Google Customer Reviews.
Page:

Related Products


Tennessee Ostrich Fern
Bare Root Plants,
min 25
On sale: $3.97
Discount: 43%
On Sale!
In stock.
​

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE DISCOUNTS?

Your privacy is important to us, we will not send you any unnecessary email. If you wish to be advised of our sales (2-4 times per year), join our mail list.

no thanks