Ferns in Pots Add Glorious Texture to a Patio – These Are the Best 5, Say Experts, From the Thousands You Can Choose From

Growing ferns in containers opens up many possibilities for enjoying decorative, almost prehistoric, foliage and a woodland-style aesthetic in smaller gardens and spaces where planting into the ground isn’t possible. It also gives gardeners the chance to grow delicate species that may not otherwise survive year-round outdoors in the ground.

There are over 10,000 species of ferns worldwide, with a diverse range of sizes, shapes, and shades. It can potentially be confusing for households to decide which one of these ancient plants are best suited for their location, and which will thrive in a container.

For anyone aspiring to grow ferns in pots, from hanging baskets to tall planters, there are lots of beautiful and unique varieties to choose from, which includes low-maintenance and highly versatile types offering different seasonal interest. This selection of the best ferns for containers includes recommendations from plant specialists top help you pick a perfect fern for any space.

Do Ferns Grow Well in Pots? Yes, and Here Are the Best Ferns for Containers

Many types of ferns can grow happily in containers outside, and they can be ideal for shadier patios, decks, courtyards, or balconies. But there are some particulars you need to consider to guarantee your ferns are happy in their containers.

Many deciduous and evergreen ferns prefer indirect light, dappled shade, or part-shade locations, and it is best to avoid placing ferns in direct sun.

Along with light, getting the moisture levels right is important, as ferns in pots tend to prefer evenly moist soil, which can be trickier to achieve in containers.

For exhaustive guidance on growing ferns indoors and outdoors, the Complete Book of Ferns is available at Amazon and is full of detailed care instructions and planting inspiration for a whole world of ferns.

1. Autumn Fern

The autumn fern, Dryopteris erythrosora, makes a great selection for a hardy fern to grow in a container. It is a dependable, low-maintenance fern that will impress with dazzling colors that shift gloriously throughout the season.

‘New fronds emerge in warm copper and bronze tones before maturing to deep green, adding seasonal color and visual interest that works beautifully on patios, balconies, and shaded entryways,’ explains Nikki Bruner from Perfect Plants Nursery.

‘It’s especially well-suited for pots thanks to its compact growth habit and excellent tolerance for container conditions,’ adds Nikki, highlighting that slow-growing autumn ferns only reach 18-24 inches tall and wide, so they won’t quickly outgrow any container.

For success with an autumn fern, avoid direct sunlight and place the pot in a shady spot. It will be evergreen in milder regions and semi-evergreen in cooler climates, capable of offering year-round interest as part of any shady container garden.

You can get a live Autumn Fern plant at Perfect Plants Nursery to grow in US hardiness zones 4-9.

2. Dragontail Fern

A dragontail fern (Asplenium X ebenoides) is a hardy native plant from the Eastern United States and a hybrid of two other native species (the walking fern and ebony spleenwort).

It is suitable for US hardiness zones 5-8 and is an ideal fern for containers thanks to its compact and clump-forming growth habit. A dragontail fern reaches six inches tall and up to 12 inches wide. While it may be smaller in stature, it makes up for this with its uniqueness.

‘The fronds are long, narrow, and wavy with elongated tips that twist and zig‑zag, creating the look of little green ‘dragon tails’,’ says Eilish Boyd from Naturehills.com. ‘Some frond tips form plantlets that bend down and root (the ‘walking fern’ effect), which is a unique trait you won’t see on typical ferns.’

Place the container on a shaded deck or courtyard, and grow the fern in a well-draining potting mix to prevent root rot. Alternatively, dragontail ferns are also suitable for growing in a terrarium.

Get a live dragontail fern plant at Nature Hills Nursery

3. Lady Fern

There are two tales of why the lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina) has that name. One claims it is a result of the graceful appearance, and another has to do with its hidden reproductive clusters of spores.

Either way you choose to believe, it is an elegant deciduous fern with bi-pinnate lance-shaped fronds. And it is a very hardy fern, tolerating temperatures below −4°F, which means many gardeners may not need to overwinter ferns indoors.

The lady fern reaches 1-3 feet tall and wide, taking up to five years to reach full size. It makes a stylish fern for shade, preferring dappled sunlight, but can be easy-going and even happily grow in full shade.

A lady fern will die back in winter, but you don’t want to prune back fern fronds until early spring. The fronds can provide useful shelter for wildlife over winter, and they can insulate the crown of the fern during the colder months.

You can get a live bare-root Lady Fern at Amazon

4. Maidenhair Fern

A maidenhair fern (Adiantum spp) is very versatile. There are over 200 different species in the genus, and it contains not only some of the best ferns to grow indoors but also some varieties of hardier ferns that can be grown outdoors, such as the northern maidenhair fern (also known as the five-fingered fern).

Maidenhair ferns have delicate, lacy foliage and make elegant additions in containers. They are capable of impressing on their own, but can also provide a textured background for other, potentially more showy, pot plants.

To care for a maidenhair fern in a container, place it in a shaded position on a patio or under taller plants. The plants prefer filtered, rather than direct, sunlight and shelter from strong winds. Keep the soil consistently moist, but not too wet, and water them with rainwater wherever possible.

You can get a live northern maidenhair fern plant at Amazon.

5. Ostrich Fern

An ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is a popular deciduous fern for woodland gardens, sometimes also known as a shuttlecock fern due to its towering foliage that can reach 3-6 feet.

The statuesque fronds are also the reason for the ‘ostrich’ moniker. As Eilish Boyd explains: ‘Its tall, arching fronds resemble ostrich plumes, creating a bold, feathery vertical accent that works perfectly as a main feature in a large shade container.'

‘Those dense, bright green fronds bring lush, woodland character to otherwise hard surfaces like decks and concrete patios,’ she adds.

The distinctive fronds unfurl each spring before dying back come fall. The fiddleheads of an ostrich fern (the term for the young, curled fronds) are even edible and taste like asparagus.

An ostrich fern likes consistently moist soil, and their growth is reduced when the soil is too dry. It may be advisable to get a soil moisture meter (you can get a soil moisture meter at Amazon) to keep the container adequately wet, but not waterlogged.

Get a live ostrich fern at Nature Hills Nursery

FAQs

Can Ferns Survive Winter in Pots?

Ferns can survive winter when growing in containers. How they will fare over winter will depend on your US hardiness zone, and the type of fern. However, remember that any plants in pots are more susceptible to cold than when growing in the ground. To ensure ferns survive the coldest months, you can overwinter plants indoors, move them to a sheltered spot outside, cover plants with frost cloth, or use winter pot covers (like these planter protection bags at Amazon).

Should Ferns Be Cut Back for Winter in Pots?

You can cut back the fronds of deciduous ferns when they turn yellow, if you are bringing them indoors for winter. If the ferns are staying outdoors for winter, leave the old fronds in place to provide shelter for wildlife and to protect the crown from frost. Use clean, sharp pruning tools to cut back brown or damaged fronds in late winter or early spring, just before the new season’s fronds are starting to unfurl.

Underwatering is a common issue for gardeners growing ferns both in the ground or containers, and indoors or outdoors. If your fern is drooping, or your fern is turning brown, it can be due to stress caused by underwatering.

A good trick when watering plants in containers is to use your fingers to tell the moisture levels in the soil. If it feels dry a few inches down, the plant needs watering. Or you can use a soil moisture meter for easy, quick results. Regular checking will be crucial to keep ferns at the consistent level of moisture they want to be happy in pots.