Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Foxtail Fern
Foxtail Fern grows upright plumes packed with soft, needle-like green leaves, like a row of fluffy foxtails. It forms dense clumps about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide and stays green year round. It is not a true fern but an asparagus relative. In the Valley it looks best with afternoon shade.
Best for: shady and part-sun beds, patio pots, borders and mass plantings, and soft green texture next to spiky desert plants.
Plant it where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade. The upright plumes add soft texture along borders, under taller plants and in mass plantings.
It stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, a good size for large pots. Use a well-draining potting soil.
The fluffy plumes contrast well with agaves, aloes and other stiff plants in part shade. It stays green all year in most Valley winters.
Harsh afternoon sun burns it, and soil that stays wet can rot the roots. The berries and plant are toxic to dogs and cats.
- Mass planting3 ft apart
- Border or bed row3-4 ft apart
Water a new plant every few days at first, then stretch it out as it roots in. In summer, keep watering regularly and let the soil dry slightly between soaks. Water much less in winter.
Give it morning sun and afternoon shade, or bright shade. Hot afternoon sun burns the plumes.
Cut old, tired plumes at the base when they crowd the clump. Frost below about 20 to 25°F can damage it, and it usually regrows from the roots.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is foxtail fern a real fern?
No. It is an asparagus relative with fern-like, needle-soft leaves. It has thick, water-storing roots, which is why it handles dry spells.
Can foxtail fern take full sun in Phoenix?
Not the hot afternoon sun. It does best with morning sun and afternoon shade, or bright shade.
How often should I water it?
Regularly in summer, letting the soil dry slightly between soaks. Drip-watered plants in desert heat can need water several times a week. Water much less in winter.
How big does it get?
About 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart.
Is foxtail fern toxic to dogs and cats?
Yes. It is toxic to dogs and cats. The berries can upset the stomach if eaten, and repeated handling can irritate skin.
Will it survive frost?
It handles light frost well, but temperatures below about 20 to 25°F can damage it, but it usually comes back from the roots.
Does it grow in pots?
Yes. Use a well-draining potting soil and a pot with drainage holes. Pots dry out faster, so check them often in summer.
Does it have flowers or berries?
Small white flowers are followed by berries that turn red toward fall. Birds visit them, but pets should not eat them.
Foxtail Fern for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Foxtail Fern is a tough asparagus relative with soft, upright plumes that stay green year round. Below: how much sun and water it needs in the Valley, size, frost, pots, berries and pets.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Does foxtail fern grow in Phoenix?
Yes, with afternoon shade. It stays green year round in most Valley winters and handles heat when shaded from harsh afternoon sun.
Foxtail fern sun or shade in Arizona?
Morning sun with afternoon shade, or bright shade. Hot afternoon sun burns the plumes.
How much water does foxtail fern need?
It needs regular water in summer, with the soil drying slightly between soaks, and much less in winter.
How far apart to plant foxtail ferns
About 3 to 4 feet apart. Each clump grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide.
Is foxtail fern poisonous to pets?
Yes. It is toxic to dogs and cats. The berries can upset the stomach, and repeated handling can irritate skin.
Foxtail fern vs asparagus fern
Both plants are asparagus relatives. Foxtail fern grows upright, tight plumes, while asparagus fern has looser, arching stems.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.