Male Fern Linearis Polydactyla A very graceful yet highly adaptable fern, Dryopteris filix-mas Linearis Polydactyla is a large, deciduous, perennial fern with an upright, shuttlecock habit and lightly arching fronds, particularly good with foliage plants like hostas. The fronds are light green and lance-shaped, and the pinnae (leaflets) are spaced far apart, with crested tips, giving the plant an airy appearance (the name means ‘linear and many-fingered’). Tolerates full sun in reliably moist soil, and tolerates dry shade once established. Don’t cut back in autumn, as the dead fronds are beautiful when frosted. Male fern Linearis Polydactyla holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Site: Tolerates exposureSoil: Virtually any soilPosition: Partial shade, full shade; tolerates full sun in reliably moist soil Season of interest: Spring to autumnHardiness: Very hardyHeight: 4’ (1.2m) Spread: 2’6” (75cm) Photo by Kenraiz, cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.