FoliageBoston Fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a fast-growing perennial, hardy in USDA zones 10-12, that matures to about 2-3 ft × 2-3 ft. It does best in part shade with medium water needs in well-drained soil. It stands up well to deer, grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 10-12
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Medium
- Mature size
- 2-3 ft × 2-3 ft
- Spacing
- 12 inches-3 feet
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained
- Foliage
- Yellow, Green, Variegated
- Tough against
- Deer
- Native to
- Pantropical
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Boston Fern is hardy to about 30°F (estimated from USDA zone 10), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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