SimplePlant

Dryopteridaceae

Christmas fern

Polystichum acrostichoides (Michx.) Schott

Family
Dryopteridaceae
Genus
Polystichum

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Christmas fern: Photograph of the Christmas Fern ( Polystichum acrostichoides ). Photo taken at the Tyler Arboretum where it was identified. Camera and Exposure Details: Camera
Photo: Photo, CC BY-SA 2.5, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (2)
Chinese
圣诞耳蕨
English
Christmas fern

Synonyms

  • Aetopteron acrostichoides (Michx.) House
  • Aspidium acrostichoides (Michx.) Sw.
  • Aspidium acrostichoides var. incisum A.Gray
  • Aspidium auriculatum Schkuhr
  • Aspidium schweinitzii L.C.Beck
  • Dryopteris acrostichoides (Michx.) Kuntze
  • Nephrodium acrostichoides Michx.
  • Nephrodium acrostichoides var. crispum Hopkins
  • Nephrodium acrostichoides var. incisum (A.Gray) Hopkins
  • Polypodium acrostichoides (Michx.) Poir.
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. acrostichoides
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. crispum Clute
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. cristatum Clute
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. demittens C.F.Reed
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. furcatum F.Seym.
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. gymnosorum Neidorf
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. incisum (A.Gray) Gilbert
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. lanceolatum Clute
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. ligulatum Gruber
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. multifida Clute
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. orbiculatum Eames
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. recurvatum Clute
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. spathiforme C.F.Reed
  • Polystichum acrostichoides f. ventroperaferens Neidorf
  • Polystichum acrostichoides var. crispum Clute
  • Polystichum acrostichoides var. incisum A.Gray
  • Polystichum acrostichoides var. schweinitzii (Beck) Small
  • Polystichum acrostichoides var. schweinitzii (Beck) Millsp.
  • Thelypteris acrostichoides (Michx.) Nieuwl.

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native

Photos

More in Polystichum

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.