Zone 7 · winter lows 0°F to 10°F
Dryopteris for Zone 7
72 Dryopteris varieties rated hardy through Zone 7, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 7 is long seasons that reward layered, four-season planting.
The Dryopteris that thrive in Zone 7
#1 most savedBroad Buckler-fern
Dryopteris dilatata 'Jimmy Dyce'
#2 most savedAutumn Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora
#3 most savedLog Fern
Dryopteris x celsa 'Shreveport'

Shaggy Shield Fern
Dryopteris cycadina

Western Wood Fern The King Fern
Dryopteris affinis 'The King'

Goldie's Wood Fern
Dryopteris goldieana

Clinton's Wood Fern
Dryopteris x clintoniana

Wallich's Wood Fern
Dryopteris wallichiana 'Tucumanji'

Log Fern
Dryopteris x separabilis

Southern Wood Fern
Dryopteris australis

Tokyo Wood Fern
Dryopteris tokyoensis

Brilliance Autumn Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance'

Log Fern
Dryopteris x celsa

Sichuan Splendor Fern
Dryopteris bissetiana 'Sichuan Splendor'

Giant Wood Fern
Dryopteris dilatata 'Lepidota Cristata'

Marginal Wood Fern
Dryopteris marginalis

Broad Buckler Fern 'Grandiceps'
Dryopteris dilatata 'Grandiceps'

Champion's Wood Fern
Dryopteris championii

Stableri Crisped Fern
Dryopteris x complexa 'Stableri Crisped'

Kinkiensis Fern Green Hans
Dryopteris kinkiensis 'Green Hans'

Jinfoshan Giant Wood Fern
Dryopteris bissetiana 'Jinfoshan Giant'

Rigid Buckler-fern
Dryopteris villarii

corymbed wood fern
Dryopteris corymbifera

Jurassic Gold Wood Fern
Dryopteris wallichiana 'Jurassic Gold'
Showing the 24 most-saved of 72 Zone 7–hardy Dryopteris varieties. See the full Dryopteris list →
Dryopteris in Zone 7
Will Dryopteris survive a Zone 7 winter?
72 of the 73 Dryopteris varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 7, where winter lows reach 0°F to 10°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.
When should I plant Dryopteris in Zone 7?
In Zone 7 the last spring frost typically lands around mid-April and the first fall frost around late October. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.
Which Dryopteris is best for Zone 7?
Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.
