Polystichum polyblepharum

Imagine a midnight-green fountain unfurling in your woodland garden: that’s Polystichum polyblepharum, the Japanese Tassel Fern. Native to Japan and South Korea, this evergreen beauty forms elegant shuttlecock-shaped clumps of glossy, bipinnate fronds that reach 18–24 inches tall and wide, bringing shimmering texture and structure to shady corners. In spring, its fiddleheads twist back on themselves—like silk tassels—before straightening into perfectly arching blades, lending a touch of theatrical grace to early-season foliage.

Its new fronds emerge dressed in golden hairs that contrast beautifully with silvery-scaled stipes—those are the “many eyelashes” hinted at by its Latin name—before maturing into lustrous dark green leaves that glow even in deep shade. Hardy in USDA Zones 5–8, the Tassel Fern thrives in part to full shade, in moist yet well-drained, humus-rich soil. Once established, it stands firm against deer and rabbits, resists most pests, and rewards with seasons of low-maintenance, woodland elegance.

Garden Highlights

• Evergreen Architecture: Forms neat, vase-shaped clumps with glossy, arching fronds year-round

• Size: Matures to 18–24″ tall and wide—perfect for borders, containers, or woodland layering

• Textural Drama: Golden-haired fiddleheads emerge as tassels, maturing into sleek, dark green foliage

• Tough & Hardy: Thrives in USDA Zones 5–8; tolerant of shade, drought, deer, and rabbits

• Low Maintenance: Prefers moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil; cut back old fronds in early spring