Autumn fern

Dryopteris erythrosora

East Asian semi-evergreen fern with new fronds emerging in copper-red and ageing through coral and salmon to glossy green. Among the most ornamentally coloured ferns and the best for warm-temperate gardens.

Hardiness ratings

Autumn fern hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 5–9 −28.9 °C to −1.1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H5 −15 °C to −10 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 5–8 −23 °C to −1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 2–5 −10 °C to 10 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Plant in dappled shade in moist humus-rich soil — new fronds emerge coppery-red through summer, providing a steady seasonal display
  • Semi-evergreen — fronds persist through winter in mild climates, deciduous in colder zones
  • Outstanding for the warm-temperate to subtropical shade garden where European ferns struggle
  • Tougher and more heat-tolerant than the Japanese painted fern

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Autumn fern against your zones

Reference

Autumn fern on Wikipedia