These luxuriant ferns don’t need to drink a lot to be happy. Get our tips on the best types to plant and how to care for them
Species: Dryopteris filix-mas
Found in: Much of the West and beyond, where it grows in forests, upland pastures, and rocky slopes.
Grows to: 2 to 5 feet tall and wide. Semievergreen.
Why this fern? The subtle evolution of its fronds: They start out light green in spring, then darken to a rich emerald green in summer.
Sunset climate zones: 2–9, 14–17