Fresh green hues, and curiously crinkled and contorted foliage, the Parsley Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas 'Parsley') adds immense texture and color to the landscape!

Also known as Parsley Male Fern, these are compact growing specimens. Parsley Fern is also known as Crested Fern, it has all the character while taking up just half the size!

Like its namesake, Parsley Fern has curled, ruffled, and furled foliage. Finely cut leaves are further divided into smaller leaflets yet, on triangular, irregular fronds. These tough plants have sturdy stems and a frilly shape.

Just be sure not to use these fronds as garnish. Take a page from your local deer and rabbits and leave this plant alone for landscaping only.

A hardy native, Parsley Ferns are typically brightening eastern and western North America, as well as parts of Europe. It creeps and colonizes shady woodlands and naturalizing under trees and large shrubs.

How to Use Parsley Fern In The Landscape

The enduring Parsley Fern is a fantastic groundcover and looks lovely rambling beneath large trees to shade their roots. Also a vibrant facer plant, they are splendid for hiding bare stems of larger shrubs as they get a bit 'leggy'.

Working fantastically on shaded patios in containers to add cooling, lush greenery to your mixed planters, these can be full to semi-evergreen and provide four-season interest throughout the garden.

Gracefully arching fronds add filler and color among perennials and lines dappled borders and beds. This tidy plant's fresh color fill in the gaps of bare ground with green texture.

#ProPlantTips For Care

Parsley Fern does best in partial shade in cooler climates though needs full shade in warmer growing zones. Hardy in zones 4 through 8, this species of Fern prefers shade in the afternoon heat of summer.

The worst of summer's heat can cause this Fern to take a break but will return in full force in the autumn.

Doing best in organically rich soil that remains moist and drains well and is on the slightly acidic side. Be sure to not allow the soil to dry out in the summer and this semi-evergreen to fully evergreen perennial will look its best year-round!

A generous layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture as well as insulate the root system from heat and chill.

Tolerant of urban pollution and perfectly sized for smaller lots and plantings. The fertile fronds are hardy natives are long-lived.

For green frills and ruffles, you won't find more character on one plant than the Parsley Fern from Nature Hills Nursery today!