Companion plants for Boston Fern
Boston Fern is grown for its foliage rather than flowers, giving the garden structure and color all season long. It wants part shade and high water. The 8 companion pairings below each state why the pairing works.
Blooming alongside
Gardenia
Takes part sun to part shade and high water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 4 ft, for the layer behind it.
Fragrant Tea Olive
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; stands well above at 15 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Evergreen Huckleberry
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 7.5 ft, for the layer behind it; both are North American natives; they only overlap in zones 9 to 10.
Western Wild Ginger
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; both are North American natives; they only overlap in zones 9 to 10.
Crocodile Fern
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it; they only overlap in zones 10 to 11.
Western Sword Fern
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate to high water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it; both are North American natives; they only overlap in zone 9.
Bottlebrush Grass
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both are North American natives; they only overlap in zone 9.
Tufted Hairgrass
Shares part shade and moderate to high water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both are North American natives; they only overlap in zone 9.