Golden Scaled Male Fern

Golden Scaled Male Fern is the crested selection *Dryopteris affinis* ‘Cristata The King’. Its arching, green fronds have golden scales and distinctly crested tips, creating a bold shuttlecock form. [Kiefer Nursery](https://kiefernursery.com/product/dryopteris-affinis-cristata-the-king/) and the [Chicago Botanic Garden](https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plant-information/plant-finder/dryopteris-affinis-cristata-cristata-king-male-fern) describe a mature plant about 3 ft tall and wide. ## Growing Conditions Plant it in partial or full shade in moist, organic soil. It can be semi-evergreen or lose more foliage in colder parts of its range; [Ashwood Nurseries](https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/product/dryopteris-affinis-cristata-the-king/) describes the selection as hardy and semi-evergreen. The cited U.S. garden sources place it in zones 4–8. ## Garden Use Use the upright clump as a specimen, in a shady border, or beneath trees and shrubs. Its sculptural fronds bring texture to woodland plantings and can also be grown in a large container. ## Maintenance Water during establishment and dry spells, and remove dead fronds in spring before new growth unfolds. Division in spring can be used to propagate established plants.