Perennial · Dryopteridaceae family
male fern
Dryopteris filix-mas
In short a 10-second read
Male fern (perennial) grows to 0.6–0.9 m tall and 0.6–0.9 m wide when mature. It grows best in part shade to shade, in soil from dry to moist. Hardy to −32 °C.
× spread 0.6–0.9 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in part shade to shade, in soil from dry to moist. Hardy to −32 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
dry to moist · watering: moderate
Soil: humus-rich, loamy, clay
Soil pH 5–7
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 5–10 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Pruning
No pruning needed — just remove dead or damaged parts (February–March).
Planting
container plant: March–May, September–November
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −32 °C
- Dies back in winter and regrows in spring
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
Siebold's hosta
0.4–1 m
largeleaf brunnera
0.3–0.45 m
barrenwort
0.15–0.3 mReady-made Studio combinations that include male fern
Hostas, fern and sedges with wild ginger — calm green planting for a…
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
Does male fern tolerate shade?
Yes, it tolerates full shade.
How much space does male fern need?
At maturity 0.6–0.9 m wide and 0.6–0.9 m tall; recommended spacing 70 cm.
Does male fern survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −32 °C.
Where the data comes from
The data is indicative — we are still comparing it with further sources. Last checked 28 September 2026.
Show sources (17)
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Dryopteris filix-mas
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Dryopteris filix-mas
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Dryopteris filix-mas
- GBIF Occurrence Search API — Dryopteris filix-mas
- Wikidata (CC0) — Dryopteris filix-mas
- Gärtnerei Strickler, katalóg
- Foerster-Stauden, katalóg
- Stauden-Stade
- RHS - Dryopteris filix-mas
- Iowa State Extension - How to Plant Perennials
- RHS - How to grow perennial plants
- Invasive plant lists — this species is not on them: EU, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Denmark
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