National Plant Network's grower approved selections take the guesswork out of gardening. Southern Wood Fern is a robust, shade loving perennial prized for its dark green, glossy, leathery fronds and vase-shaped clumps that bring evergreen or near-evergreen structure to woodland settings. It thrives in moist fertile soil in shaded or partially shaded areas and adapts to wet sites while resisting browsing by deer. Use it to stabilize shady slopes, line stream banks, or group as groundcover under trees where many plants struggle, especially in southern landscapes. In cooler zones, provide protection or treat as semi-evergreen to preserve foliage year round.