Dryopteris expansa, Spreading Wood Fern

A very elegant native fern rarely offered in California nurseries with soft, bright green, finely divided fronds and a gently arching form. Mature plants reach up to 3’ tall and wide, make them suitable for most garden spaces. Grows in moist, shady woodlands, mostly along the coast, from the Central Coast north to Alaska. Winter deciduous. Very similar to the lady fern, but with triangular-shaped fronds, not diamond-shaped. Said to be deer resistant.