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Japanese Beech Fern

Phegopteris decursive-pinnata (fay-GOP-ter-iss deh-KUR-siv pih-NAH-tah)

Family: Aspleniaceae Non-native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Easy to grow; slowly spreads by runners; erect rhizome; vigorous. Winged rachis; narrow, erect, hairy, pinnatified blade tapers at both ends. VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum . More information on Phegopteris .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 35 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Fern
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Light
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately); Fronds
Leaf arrangement
Other/more complex
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Crenate
Leaf feel
Rough
Hairs present
No
Flower detail
No flowers.
Fruit detail
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Stem color
Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Japan, China
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Small Space; Woodland
Landscape theme
Shade Garden
Garden tags
#deciduous #rabbit resistant #deer resistant #wet soils tolerant #fern #shade garden #th-sight #woodland
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Heavy Shade; Rabbits; Wet Soil
Particularly resistant to
Heavy shade, This plant is seldom damaged by deer.

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.