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The Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, occurs in both dry and moist wooded slopes, moist banks and ravines. It typically grows in a fountain like clump to 2' tall and features leathery, lance shaped, evergreen green at Christmas time as the common name suggests fronds. Stocking shape of the pinnae also suggests Christmas. Crosiers young fiddleheads in spring are silvery and scaled. Sori appear on the undersides of the pinnae only at the ends last 13 of the fronds. Christmas ferns are asymmetrical with a fine texture and has a moderately dense crown. The evergreen fronds provide good winter interest for the landscape. This fern does not spread but the clumps increase in size over time. These plants serve as hosts for butterfly larvae.
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