Polystichum polyblepharum Tassel Fern

Polystichum polyblepharum, commonly called the Tassel Fern or Japanese Lace Fern, is an evergreen wood fern native to Japan and Korea. It forms elegant, vase-shaped clumps of lustrous, dark-green, bipinnate fronds reaching 18–24″ (45–60 cm), with gold-speckled fiddleheads that temporarily flip backwards creating distinctive “tassels”—hence the common name. The stipes and rachises are adorned with bristly, silvery-brown scales, giving it textural interest. This shade lover thrives in organically rich, evenly moist but well-drained soils, and is especially valued for winter interest and its low-maintenance nature. It has earned the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for its ornamental qualities and resilience.