Most gardeners think that only damp shady gardens are suitable to grow ferns. In fact there are a number of fern species that grow very well in the often hard to plant dry shade areas of a garden. Japanese Beech Fern is one herbaceous perennial that will happily grow in moist or dry shade and even take a little bit of sun early or late in the day. In fact, a few hours of dappled sun exposure will keep Japanese Beech fern a brilliant lime green color.
Japanese Beech Fern is not bothered by deer or disease and returns year after year with fresh new growth that needs little seasonal maintenance. Mass plantings of ferns in a woodland garden makes for a wonderful groundcover that will help to exclude weeds all summer long. The abundance of plush fronds makes for wonderful cover for wildlife in the garden and provides material for floral arrangements from late spring to late fall.
The mature height and width of Japanese Beech Fern is 3 feet. Spacing at 2 feet on center is recommended to achieve a quick ground cover when planting in a large mass.