Polystichum acrostichoides #1 (Christmas Fern)

Christmas Ferns have lustrous, dark green fronds arranged in a whorl, arching up gracefully in a vase-shape. The evergreen foliage provides year-round interest in the landscape, with its new silvery-green fronds sprouting in early spring just as the previous year’s growth may begin to look tattered. To avoid weakening the clump, it is best to leave the older foliage until after the new growth unfurls and begins to grow.

Easy to grow, widespread and adaptable, Christmas Ferns will grow well almost anywhere out of the sun. They are typically found growing in woodlands, dry shade, seasonally moist conditions, rocky soils and on slopes. These ferns are strongly clumping but spread moderately by offsets that can be transplanted after a season of growth. The fine, pinnate texture works as a nice backdrop for spring bulbs and woodland wildflowers, naturalized in a wooded setting or as a bold groundcover. It can also make a striking specimen in a shady rock garden.

Sources:

Native Ferns, Moss, & Grasses by William Cullina
Growing and Propagating Wild Flowers by Harry R. Phillips
Missouri Botanical Garden
The Morton Arboretum-Black Walnut Toxicity