Sword Fern
- Shipping Available
Nephrolepis exaltata
Common names also include Boston Sword Fern, Southern Sword Fern, Boston Fern, Wild Boston Fern, Fishbone Fern, Boston Bluebell Fern, Tuber Ladder Fern.
Sword Fern is a fern native to Texas (notably Dallas and Henderson county near our nursery), Florida, Mexico, and areas in Central and South America. Its sword shaped fronds grow upright and lightly arch and curve outwards with age. In hardiness zones 9 and above, it is an evergreen. In regions that experience colder winters, it will go dormant during the cold season and will require less water while it waits for warmer days. It grows slim tubular rhizomes under the soil, and produces spores on the undersides of its leaves in the form of small black and brown dots. Don't worry - these dots are not pests or a disease, but are how the plant reproduces.
Sword Fern prefers bright, indirect light, but can tolerate direct gentle morning light. It appreciates consistent soil moisture with good drainage, and will shed older leaves if left to dry out. If this does occur, simply cut the old growth back to around 2", provide water, and watch it regenerate! It does well in the ground, in containers, or in hanging baskets.
A natural variant of this species, Nephrolepis exaltata var. Bostoniensis, is the better known Boston Fern, a popular houseplant named for its surprise "discovery" in a shipment of ferns from Philadelphia to Boston in 1894.
Height: 1.5'-3'
Spread: 1.5'-3'
Bloom: Spring-Fall
Light: Part Shade-Deep Shade
Water: Medium-High
Zone: 8-12
Origin: Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Arizona, Mexico, Central & South America
Spring Shipping:
Orders are shipped within 7-10 business days. We will email you if there are expected delays.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
