fern
Boston fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.
Hardy in zones 9–11, Boston fern is a fast-growing evergreen fern. Expect 1.5–3 ft of height and 2–3 ft of spread; our lists space it 2 ft apart. It does best in part shade to shade with average water. It is grown for its year-round foliage rather than its flowers. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the grass role: a fern that adds fine, feathery texture in the middle of the bed, where a grass would go in a sunnier bed. It is native to Florida and the Gulf. Deer usually leave it alone, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in the Pacific Northwest and the Desert Southwest, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.
Facts from our plant table
- Botanical name
- Nephrolepis exaltata
- Plant type
- Fern, evergreen
- Hardiness zones
- 9 to 11
- Sun
- Part shade (2–4 hours); Shade (under 2 hours)
- Water
- Medium
- Soil
- Moist, humus-rich soil; spreads by runners in the ground.
- Mature size
- 1.5–3 ft tall × 2–3 ft wide
- Spacing
- 2 ft apart (centre to centre)
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Grown for foliage
- Roles in a bed
- Grass
- Styles
- natural, cottage, classic
- Deer resistance
- High: deer rarely eat it
- Pets
- Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. ASPCA lists Boston fern non-toxic to dogs and cats (confirmed on aspca.org, 2026-11). Not the invasive tuberous sword fern (N. cordifolia).
- Native to
- Florida/Gulf
- Pot size and price
- 1-gallon pot, typically $10–$18 (easy to find)
- Plant in
- Spring or Fall
- First-year watering
- Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat; keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Established plants need water only in dry spells.
- Pruning
- Cut out frost-damaged fronds in spring; pull runners that leave the bed.
Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; state extension service fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings; state extension service; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States; state noxious weed and invasive plant lists; US garden-centre and home-improvement retail listings (general knowledge, 2026 estimate); USDA PLANTS database; state extension service native plant lists. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.
Good companions
The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Boston fern, across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.
- Turk's capMalvaviscus arboreus var. drummondiiperennial · zones 8–10
- Cast iron plantAspidistra elatiorperennial · zones 7–11
- Texas sedgeCarex texensisornamental grass · zones 7–9
- Holly fernCyrtomium falcatumfern · zones 7–10
- Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana'Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'shrub · zones 7–10
- Shrubby yew pinePodocarpus macrophyllus var. makishrub · zones 8–10
If you can't find it
Substitutes our engine offers for Boston fern: same role in the bed, passing the same rules.
- Lilyturf 'Big Blue'Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'zones 6–10 · not flagged toxic to pets
- Christmas fernPolystichum acrostichoideszones 3–9 · not flagged toxic to pets
- Holly fernCyrtomium falcatumzones 7–10 · not flagged toxic to pets
- Northern sea oatsChasmanthium latifoliumzones 5–9 · not flagged toxic to pets
How this page was made
This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.
Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.
Sources
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
- ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
- Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
- State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
- Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)
Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants