Kimberly Queen Fern (Nephrolepis obliterata)
[nef-ro-LEP-iss ob-lit-er-AY-tah]

Evergreen Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Upright, Clump-Forming in the Nephrolepidaceae Family
An upright, tough-as-nails sword fern that handles heat and bright light better than most ferns.
Kimberly Queen fern is an Australian sword fern grown for its tough, upright clumps of narrow, sword-shaped, bright-green fronds -- a more structured, vase-like habit than the loosely trailing look of a Boston fern. It tolerates heat, bright indoor light, and drier conditions better than most ferns, which has made it a popular patio, porch, and houseplant selection.

Cons

This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
Highlights Adaptable As Houseplant Foliage Interest Deadheading Not Necessary
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 24 - 48 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Shade
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 9a - 11b (Usually hardy to 20° F)
Tags Annual in Chicago, Container, Deer Resistant, Evergreen, Full Shade, Grown For Attractive Foliage, House Plants, Medium, Non-Allergenic, Partial Shade, Perennial, Shade Tolerant, Tender Perennial
Foliage Color

Photos of This with...

Kimberly Queen Fern, Diamond Frost Spurge, Superbena Sparkling Amethyst Verbena, Heart To Heart Flatter Me Elephant Ear, Heart to Heart Chinook Elephant Ear, Heart to Heart Dawn to Dusk Elephant Ear, Heart to Heart Va Va Violet Elephant Ear, Superbells Over Easy Calibrachoa, Excelente Croton, Sunpatiens Compact Neon Pink, Sunpatiens Compact Orange Impatiens, Sunpatiens Compact Royal Magenta, Boldly Dark Red Geranium, Supertunia Mini Vista Hot Pink Petunia, Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Star Petunia, Whirlwind White Fan Flower, Gold Capella Umbrella Plant, Persian Shield, Catalina Grape-o-Licious Wishbone Flower, Summer Wave Blue Wishbone Flower,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 05/03
2024 : 02/08 - 05/04


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!