In the cold of Winter, eyes seek any type of color in the landscape. One surprise on the leafed woodland floor is the Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), a native plant to eastern North America. Unlike the larger and more showy natives like the royal fern (Osmunda regalis) and the tasty ostrich fern (Metteuccia struthiopteris), which have long since disappeared, this low-lying plant stands out against a barren vista. Its shiny green leaves brighten the gray humus from which it grows. But come Spring, its leaves die down to be replaced by new ones.
Christmas fern
