Male Fern
Dryopteris filix-mas
Care
full sun
moderate
Fast, Medium, Slow; Tolerant of a variety of garden soils as long as sufficient moisture is available.
2–2ft tall
Evergreen
Resistant
Friendly
Introduced species from Europe; occasionally naturalized in moist coastal areas of northern California but not truly native.
Wildlife Supported
Insects
Multi-voltine; larvae feed on fern fronds throughout growing season
Feeds on fern fronds during active growth period; specialized fern herbivore
Specialist fern-feeding sawflies and leaf beetles utilize fronds throughout growing season
Larvae feed on fern fronds; polyphagous fern-feeding lepidopteran
Sap-feeding specialist on fern fronds; multiple generations per season
Larval host plant; larvae skeletonize or feed on fern fronds
Birds
Shelters and forages in dense fern cover; uses as breeding cover
Uses dense fern fronds for cover and nesting substrate in woodland understory
Forages for arthropods beneath and among fronds; shelters in dense growth
Gleans arthropods and insect larvae from fronds; important protein source during breeding season
Forages for invertebrates among fronds; uses as cover during migration