Dryopteris wallichiana Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Wallich's Wood Fern (Alpine Wood Fern)

Dryopteris wallichiana

£14.49
Hardy in the UKShade-tolerantRHS award winner
Pot size
15cm / 1.5L £14.49

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Description

The Dryopteris wallichiana, known as Wallich's wood fern or the alpine wood fern, is one of the most striking hardy ferns you can grow, prized for its bold shuttlecock of upright fronds and dramatic near-black scaly stems. New croziers unfurl a luminous golden-green in spring, held on midribs clothed in blackish-brown scales, creating a sculptural contrast that lifts any shady corner. This RHS Award of Garden Merit fern brings real architecture to woodland and exotic border planting.

Rated RHS H5, Wallich's wood fern is fully hardy across most of the UK, shrugging off temperatures down to around -15C once established. It is semi-evergreen to deciduous: in a sheltered spot the fronds stand well into winter before they are cut back in late winter, when the plant dies back and reshoots fresh each spring. Grow it in the dappled light of a border or woodland garden for a reliable, low-fuss focal point among your plants for shade.

Water regularly through the first season to settle the roots, after which it is an easy, self-reliant fern. It is generally non-toxic and pet-friendly, and thrives alongside other hardy exotics or in a large container on a shaded patio, so it is equally at home in pots and containers. Pair it with the coppery new growth of Dryopteris erythrosora for a layered woodland scheme.

Every fern we send is nursery-grown and carefully selected for a strong crown and healthy roots. For a guide to how hardy ferns settle in through the seasons, see our what to expect notes.

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 Wallich's Wood Fern (Alpine Wood 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 Wallich's Wood Fern (Alpine Wood Fern)

Dryopteris wallichiana 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

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H5 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −15°C

fully hardy, RHS H5, to about -15C once established.

Position

Partial shadeFull shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered

partial to full shade, sheltered from cold, drying winds.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil; mulch with leaf mould.

Watering

Water regularly through the first season while it establishes, then keep the soil from drying out. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first season while it establishes, then keep the soil from drying out.

Mature size

Height60-90 cm
Spread60-75 cm

Reaches full size in 5-10 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Non-flowering (spores)

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Deciduous, so cut back the faded fronds in late winter as it dies back, and it will reshoot fresh each spring.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets; Dryopteris ferns are generally considered non-toxic.

Native range

Himalaya, China; montane C. & S. America

Family

Dryopteridaceae

Also known as

Dryopteris wallichiana

Genus

Dryopteris
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dryopteris wallichiana evergreen or deciduous?

It is semi-evergreen to deciduous. In a sheltered UK garden the bold shuttlecock of fronds often stands well into winter, then dies back and reshoots fresh each spring. Simply cut back any tired fronds in late winter before the new golden croziers unfurl.

How hardy is Dryopteris wallichiana in the UK?

Very hardy. Rated RHS H5, Wallich's wood fern tolerates temperatures down to around -15C once established, so it is fully hardy across most of the UK and needs no winter protection in an average garden. It sits happily among our other hardy exotics.

Where is the best place to plant Wallich's wood fern?

Give it partial to full shade with moist, humus-rich soil, sheltered from cold drying winds. It is ideal for a woodland border or a shady corner and is one of our favourite plants for shade.

How big does Dryopteris wallichiana grow?

It forms a clump-forming shuttlecock to around 0.9 m tall and wide, reaching full size over five to ten years. Its upright habit makes it a natural architectural centrepiece among lower ferns and shade perennials.

Is Dryopteris wallichiana safe for pets?

Yes. There is no reported toxicity to people, cats or dogs, and hardy ferns like this are generally considered non-toxic and pet-friendly. As with any plant, it is sensible to discourage pets from chewing the foliage.

Can I grow Dryopteris wallichiana in a container?

Yes. It grows happily in a large, shaded container of moist, humus-rich compost, making it a fine choice for a shady patio. Browse the rest of our plants for pots and containers.

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.

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Perfect for Gifting

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.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

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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Dryopteris wallichiana
£14.49