Cyrtomium fortunei 'clivicola' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Cyrtomium fortunei 'clivicola' — 8.5cm / 0.5L
Fortune's Holly Fern

Cyrtomium fortunei 'clivicola'

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Hardy in the UKShade-tolerantEvergreenRHS award winner
Pot size

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Fern Premium Potting Mix
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Description

Cyrtomium fortunei 'Clivicola', the Japanese holly fern, is one of the most architecturally striking hardy ferns you can grow. Each arching frond is lined with glossy, leathery pinnae that genuinely resemble holly leaves, giving the plant a bold, almost tropical presence while remaining tough enough to shrug off a British winter. It is exactly the kind of hardy exotic that brings year-round structure and a touch of the unexpected to shady corners.

Unlike many ferns that vanish in autumn, the holly fern is evergreen, holding its deep green fronds right through the coldest months. 'Clivicola' is a particularly neat, clump-forming form, slowly building into a tidy rosette around 45-60cm tall and wide. Its dense, glossy foliage catches the light beautifully and contrasts wonderfully with softer ferns, hostas, hardy gingers and other shade-loving foliage plants.

How and where to grow

This is a true woodland plant, happiest in partial to full shade with shelter from drying winds and harsh midday sun. Give it a moist but well-drained soil enriched with leaf mould or garden compost; it is wonderfully unfussy about pH and will grow happily in chalk, clay, loam or sand. A north or east-facing border, a shaded courtyard, or the base of a wall are all ideal homes.

  • Position: Partial to full shade, sheltered
  • Soil: Moist but well-drained, humus-rich
  • Hardiness: Reliably hardy across most of the UK
  • Eventual size: Around 45-60cm in 2-5 years

Cyrtomium fortunei is refreshingly low-maintenance. Keep it watered through its first season and during dry spells, mulch the crown each autumn, and simply snip away any worn fronds in early spring as the fresh fiddleheads unfurl. Its compact habit also makes it a superb container fern for a shady patio or doorway.

Whether you are searching for a dependable holly fern for a difficult shady spot or a handsome evergreen centrepiece, this Japanese holly fern delivers on both looks and resilience. Every plant we send out is nursery-grown, well-established and carefully selected, ready to settle straight into your garden.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Fortune's Holly Fern

Give me sun with a little shade and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Fortune's Holly Fern

Cyrtomium fortunei 'clivicola' needs partial shade or full shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Pots & Containers Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H5): down to around −15°C. Hardy through a cold UK winter.

Hardy (RHS H5), evergreen holly fern. Tough, shade-loving and reliable in UK gardens. Read moreShow less

Hardy (RHS H5), evergreen holly fern. Tough, shade-loving and reliable in UK gardens.

Position

Partial shadeFull shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSheltered
Partial to full shade. Read moreShow less

Partial to full shade.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Moist, humus-rich, free-draining soil. Read moreShow less

Moist, humus-rich, free-draining soil.

Watering

Keep moist while establishing; very tolerant once settled. Read moreShow less

Keep moist while establishing; very tolerant once settled.

Mature size

Height40–60 cm
Spread40–60 cm

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Evergreen, so leave the fronds over winter. Remove old or weather-damaged fronds at the base in early spring before the new croziers appear.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets.

Native range

E. Asia

Family

Dryopteridaceae

Also known as

Cyrtomium fortunei 'clivicola'

Genus

Cyrtomium
More on caring for houseplants What does bright indirect light mean? Should I mist my houseplants?
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cyrtomium fortunei 'Clivicola' hardy enough for a UK winter?

Yes. The Japanese holly fern is reliably hardy across most of the UK, tolerating temperatures down to around -10C to -15C. In colder or more exposed gardens a sheltered spot and a winter mulch over the crown will keep it looking its best.

Does it prefer sun or shade?

It is a woodland fern at heart and thrives in partial to full shade. Avoid hot, dry, full sun, which scorches the fronds; a cool, sheltered position with consistent moisture suits it perfectly.

Is the holly fern evergreen?

Yes, it is evergreen, holding its glossy, leathery, holly-like fronds right through winter to give year-round structure. Simply trim away any tatty older fronds in early spring as fresh growth unfurls.

How big does it get and can I grow it in a pot?

Expect a tidy clump of roughly 45-60cm tall and wide within a few years. Its compact, clump-forming habit makes it excellent in a container for a shady patio, courtyard or north-facing doorway, kept in moist, well-drained compost.

Is it safe around pets and children?

Yes. Cyrtomium fortunei has no reported toxicity to people or pets, making it a worry-free choice for family gardens and shady borders where children and animals play.

What should I plant alongside Fortune's holly fern?

Pair it with other shade lovers such as ferns, hostas, heucheras and epimediums. It earns its place at the front of a shady border or in woodland planting. Browse more plants for shade and our hardy ferns.

How much water does a newly planted holly fern need?

For its first season keep the soil evenly moist while the roots settle in, watering deeply during dry spells. Once established it copes with normal garden moisture and needs very little extra.

What is the best position and soil for Cyrtomium fortunei 'Clivicola'?

Give it a sheltered spot in partial or full shade with moist but well-drained soil improved with leaf mould or compost. It grows happily on most soils, including chalk and clay, and also does well in a shady container. See our plants for pots.

Does the holly fern need feeding?

It is not a hungry plant. An annual spring mulch of leaf mould or garden compost gives it what it needs, with an optional light general feed in spring on poorer soils.

Should I cut back the fronds, and when?

Leave the fronds in place over winter for protection, then cut any old or weather-damaged fronds back to the base in early spring as the new croziers unfurl.

Does Fortune's holly fern spread or become invasive?

No. It forms a slowly expanding clump rather than running, so it stays where you plant it and is easy to keep in a border or pot.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

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Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Cyrtomium fortunei 'clivicola'
£4.79 £4.99