Is Hayscented Fern deer resistant?
Dennstaedtia punctilobula
Plant typeFernHardinessZones 3–8LightFull shade to part shadeMature height12–24 in
MaintenanceHigh, wants regular attention
Native range27 US states
About Hayscented Fern
Smells of new-mown hay when crushed. It spreads aggressively by rhizome and now dominates the understorey of many overbrowsed woodlands precisely because deer eat everything around it.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 24 to 35 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- High
Similar to Hayscented Fern
Other ferns with the same deer rating.
- Christmas FernPolystichum acrostichoidesZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Cinnamon FernOsmunda cinnamomeaZones 4–9Rarely damaged
- Holly FernCyrtomium falcatumZones 7–10Rarely damaged
- Japanese Painted FernAthyrium niponicumZones 4–9Rarely damaged
- New York FernThelypteris noveboracensisZones 3–8Rarely damaged
- Ostrich FernMatteuccia struthiopterisZones 3–8Rarely damaged
Where Hayscented Fern grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesota
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Florida
- Alabamanative
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 27 US states in total.
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Every list Hayscented Fern belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Hayscented Fern
- Is Hayscented Fern deer resistant?
- Hayscented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Hayscented Fern grow in?
- Hayscented Fern is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Hayscented Fern grow in shade?
- Yes. Hayscented Fern tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Hayscented Fern get?
- Mature height is roughly 12–24 in. Growth rate is fast.