Zone 9 · winter lows 20°F to 30°F
Dryopteris for Zone 9
35 Dryopteris varieties rated hardy through Zone 9, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 9 is nearly year-round growing — heat tolerance matters more than cold.
The Dryopteris that thrive in Zone 9
#1 most savedBroad Buckler-fern
Dryopteris dilatata 'Jimmy Dyce'
#2 most savedAutumn Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora
#3 most savedLog Fern
Dryopteris x celsa 'Shreveport'
Wallich's Wood Fern
Dryopteris wallichiana 'Tucumanji'
Southern Wood Fern
Dryopteris australis
Log Fern
Dryopteris x celsa
Sichuan Splendor Fern
Dryopteris bissetiana 'Sichuan Splendor'
Stableri Crisped Fern
Dryopteris x complexa 'Stableri Crisped'
Rigid Buckler-fern
Dryopteris villarii
Jinfoshan Giant Wood Fern
Dryopteris bissetiana 'Jinfoshan Giant'
Jurassic Gold Wood Fern
Dryopteris wallichiana 'Jurassic Gold'
Robust Male Fern
Dryopteris x complexa
Common Wood Fern
Dryopteris uniformis
Autumn Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora 'prolifica'
Brilliance Autumn Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance Autumn'
Bisset's Wood Fern
Dryopteris namegatae
Sublacera Fern
Dryopteris sublacera
Austral Woodfern
Dryopteris x australis
Common Male Fern
Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis Congesta'
Japanese Shield Fern
Dryopteris varia
Robust Male Fern
Dryopteris x complexa 'Stableri'
Southern Wood Fern
Dryopteris ludoviciana
Alpine Wood Fern
Dryopteris scottii
Formosan Shield Fern
Dryopteris formosana
Showing the 24 most-saved of 35 Zone 9–hardy Dryopteris varieties. See the full Dryopteris list →
Dryopteris in Zone 9
Will Dryopteris survive a Zone 9 winter?
35 of the 73 Dryopteris varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 9, where winter lows reach 20°F to 30°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 9?
In Zone 9 the last spring frost typically lands around late February and the first fall frost around early December. 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 9?
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.
Keep exploring
All Dryopteris
Dryopteris in other zones
See Dryopteris in your Zone 9 yard
Snap a photo of your space and Sow places these varieties in it at true mature size — then keeps the care schedule for everything you plant.
