Intermediate Wood Fern

About Intermediate Wood Fern

Intermediate Wood Fern is a super rare houseplant 🌿 that is easy to grow and needs very little water to thrive. They do best in long-lasting, direct light ☀️ and should be less than 1 foot from a window.

Intermediate Wood Fern likes soil that is well draining. Your plant shouldn't need added fertilizers if you repot each time it doubles in size.

Intermediate Wood Fern belongs to the Dryopteris genus, and is native to North America.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Dryopteris intermedia

Genus

Dryopteris

Family

Dryopteridaceae

Order

Polypodiales

Also known as

fancy fern, intermediate woodfern, American shield fern, common wood fern, evergreen shield fern, fancy wood fern, glandular wood fern and intermediate wood fern

How to care for Intermediate Wood Fern

💦 Water

How often to water your Intermediate Wood Fern

Intermediate Wood Fern needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Intermediate Wood Fern in your home

Intermediate Wood Fern love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Intermediate Wood Fern does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Intermediate Wood Fern in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Intermediate Wood Fern

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Intermediate Wood Fern: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Intermediate Wood Fern after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Dryopteris

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Intermediate Wood Fern is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

Benefits of Growing Intermediate Wood Fern →

Common Intermediate Wood Fern Problems →

💦 Water Needs

Intermediate Wood Fern thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Intermediate Wood Fern Water Frequency →

Intermediate Wood Fern Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Intermediate Wood Fern requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Intermediate Wood Fern Light Requirements →

Intermediate Wood Fern Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Intermediate Wood Fern is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

🪴 Soil

Intermediate Wood Fern does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Intermediate Wood Fern →

When and How to Successfully Repot Intermediate Wood Fern →

💩 Fertilizer

Intermediate Wood Fern grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Intermediate Wood Fern →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Intermediate Wood Fern grows along the ground and sends out shoots which will spread across the soil.

How and When to Prune Intermediate Wood Fern →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Intermediate Wood Fern can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 3a-8b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Intermediate Wood Fern Temperature Tolerance →

🌱 Propagation

Intermediate Wood Fern can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Intermediate Wood Fern →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Intermediate Wood Fern, since they are very sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.