Illustration
Holly Fern
Cyrtomium falcatum
Holly Fern is grown for its foliage rather than flowers, giving the garden structure and color all season long.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Holly Fern
Plant it in full shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 6–10. Expect it to reach about 20 in tall and 24 in wide at maturity, in roughly 3 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Holly Fern
Plant Holly Fern in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 8, the middle of its hardy zones 6 to 10, spring means February to April and fall means September or October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 8, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 8 in February. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Holly Fern get?
20 intall5 ft 7 inan adult24 inwideSee Holly Fern in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Holly Fern
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Holly Fern about 24 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Holly Fern to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Holly Fern's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 5 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Florida IFASExtension, Gardening Solutionsheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical Gardenheight, spread, hardiness zones and sun
- Plant Delights Nurseryheight, spread, hardiness zones and sun
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterClemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Centertrait tags
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Good to know about Holly Fern
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Worth knowing
Its glossy, dark green, leathery leaflets are sickle-shaped (falcatum means sickle) and outlined like a holly leaf, hence the name. It looks nothing like a lacy fern. per NC State
Zone range varies by source
Most sources give 6 to 10; NC State sets a cautious floor of 7a, and UF/IFAS stretches the warm end to 11. Near the edge, treat 7 as your floor. per NC State and University of Florida
Non-toxic to pets
Both the ASPCA (dogs and cats) and NC State (cats, dogs and horses) affirmatively list it as non-toxic, a stronger clearance than ferns cleared only by absence from toxic lists. per ASPCA and NC State
Tough where other ferns fail
NC State and Texas A&M rate it salt-tolerant and happy in dry shade, low humidity and urban sites, thriving on coastal, city and indoor spots where lacier ferns fail. per NC State and Texas A&M
Evergreen or deciduous by zone
In mild winters the glossy fronds stay green year-round; where winters are hard it dies back or drops them. Cut old or winter-burned fronds in early spring. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
Deer and rabbit resistant
Texas A&M reports it is seldom damaged by deer or rabbits. It is mostly trouble-free, though watch for scale and mites, worse on plants stressed by drought. per Texas A&M and NC State
What pairs well with Holly Fern
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Meadow Rue
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; taller at 4 ft, for the layer behind it.
Wishbone Flower
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border.
Summersweet
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate to high water; taller at 6 ft, for the layer behind it.
Cinnamon Fern
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate to high water; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
Royal Fern
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate to high water; taller at 4 ft, for the layer behind it.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.