Mass Planting Ferns – Which Type To Get

Q: I am looking to do a mass planting of ferns. The least expensive way to go is to buy bare root ferns online. I’m looking at beech fern, autumn fern, cinnamon fern, and bracken fern.

A: The ferns you mention are all good for Georgia. I would be cautious using many bracken ferns. They can be aggressive and weedy eventually. Autumn fern is particularly useful in a landscape because it is evergreen. If your source offers Southern shield fern, Thelipteris kunthii, add that to your list. I have found that it grows very well in full sun and part shade with hardly any maintenance. You should certainly make a visit to the Ferns of the World portion of the GSU Perimeter College Native Plant Garden, www.gpcnativegarden.org. They have one of the largest fern collections in the U. S., along with regular plant sales.