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Polystichum
Also called Holly Fern, Shield Ferns, Sword Fern, Christmas Fern, Shield Fern, Holly Ferns, Sword Ferns
Polystichum is a genus of about 500 evergreen ferns, often called shield ferns or holly ferns, found worldwide, mostly in temperate and montane regions. Commonly grown members include Polystichum setiferum (soft shield fern) and P. tsus-simense, a popular houseplant; success depends on shade, moist but well-drained soil, and protection from heat and drought.
Polystichum is a genus of ferns in the family Dryopteridaceae, subfamily Dryopteridoideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). The genus has about 500 species and has a cosmopolitan distribution. The highest diversity is in eastern Asia, with about 208 species in China alone; the region from Mexico to Brazil has at least 100 additional species; Africa (at least 17 species), North America (at least 18 species), and Europe (at least 5 species) have much lower diversity. Polystichum species are terrestrial or rock-dwelling ferns of warm-temperate and montane-tropical regions (a few species grow in alpine regions). They are often found in disturbed habitats such as road cuts, talus slopes, and stream banks. The genus also contains one extinct species from the early Pliocene of Peru: Polystichum espinarensis
Several species are grown as ornamental plants in gardens, notably P. setiferum. One species, P. tsus-simense of eastern Asia, is commonly offered as a houseplant.
With species in six continents and many islands, Polystichum is remarkable for its global spread. Polystichum ferns first emerged in Asia during the late Eocene, around 49 million years ago. During this period there were high temperatures across the globe, which may have contributed to the diversification of flora.
Christmas fern · Hard shield-fern · Western swordfern · Japanese Tassel Fern · Black Shield Fern · Soft Shield Fern · Korean rockfern
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Polystichum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
