This plant is often either a love or hate for folks. It is a very robust fern, native in my area which is always a plus for me. It will get quite large (3' x 3') if the siting is right. I use them freely as an understory to conifers, which is where they grow normally, as well as an accent plant here and there.

Don't let this cute little guy fool you:


Here's what it will grow into:


(Which I think is a lovely look, but be forewarned...)

I cannot seem to get this fern to survive my summer even in deep shade. I think perhaps the dry winds do them in.

I'm with Deb on the swordfern! I have had a massive clump in my front shade garden for almost forty years.

It makes a wonderful green, vertical backdrop for other shade plants that I arrange in front of it, usually in containers. The contrast of caladiums, coleus, impatiens and other shade flowers is really nice against the green sword fern behind them.

One thing I have to remember is to prune back the previous year's fronds by the end of March or the job gets real difficult when the new fronds come up within the clump!

Also the sword fern needs little water in the summer as it is accustomed to the dry summers here.

Marilyn, do you have alkaline soil? That could be a problem.

I only recently tried cutting back the old fronds, what a difference that makes! We have an overgrown Xmas tree lot between us and our neighbor, and the sword ferns are starting to colonize that, along with snowberry, elderberry, and salmonberry. Love it.