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perennial

Soft shield fern

Polystichum setiferum

Native

Growing guidance

Horticultural figures below are practitioner estimates for planning, pending expert review. The botanical record further down is sourced and verifiable.

Current-climate suitability

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Future-climate resilience

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Sun

Shade

Soil moisture

average, moisture-retentive

Heat tolerance

Up to about 34°C

Cold tolerance

Down to about -25°C

Waterlogging tolerance

3/5

Drought tolerance

3/5

Mature size

0.5–1 m tall, 0.9 m spread

Seasonal interest

Evergreen · Green

Maintenance

low

Wildlife supported

General wildlife value 3/5 (verified species relationships are shown only where structured data exists)

Known risks or warnings

Needs shelter from drying wind.

Toxicity: none

Verified botanical record

Accepted scientific name
Polystichum setiferum (Forssk.) T.Moore ex Woyn.
Family
Dryopteridaceae (Polypodiales)
Rank and status
species · accepted
GBIF record
Taxon 4044517

Recorded native range: Açores, Belgium, Brussels-Capital Region, Corvo Island, Faial Island, Flanders, Flemish Region, Flores Island, Graciosa Island, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Madeira, Madeira Island and 7 further regions

Recorded as introduced in: Czechia-Slovakia

Ranges are exactly as recorded in the GBIF source checklists and may be incomplete for widely cultivated species.

Polystichum setiferum, or the soft shield fern, is an evergreen or semi-evergreen fern native to southern and western Europe. The stalks and most midribs are coated with cinnamon-brown scales. The Latin specific epithet setiferum means "with bristles".

Description from Wikipedia — Polystichum setiferum (CC BY-SA), shortened and unedited in substance.

Native status and geographic context

  • United Kingdom: native
  • United States: climate-suitable
  • Australia: climate-suitable

Native status is never inferred from climate similarity. Plants restricted or invasive in a jurisdiction are excluded from recommendations there.

Demonstration data. Climate, plant and retailer records shown here are realistic samples awaiting horticultural validation and live data connections.