Polystichum scopulinum
Mountain holly fern
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Family: Dryopteridaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Polystichum scopulinum (Mountain holly fern) is a native California herb in the Dryopteridaceae family, recognized by full sun habitat preference and wide elevation range.
Mountain holly fern is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto Mountains, Modoc Plateau, and desert mountains including Surprise Canyon and Panamint Range in rock crevices and boulder bases from 400 to 3,200 meters elevation. Its deep green fronds grow 10 to 50 centimeters long with narrow-lanceolate blades that are intricately divided into lance-oblong pinnae. Growing with a distinctively scaled stipe where the base scales are 1.5 to 2 millimeters wide, the fern forms dense, architectural clusters in rocky habitats. Its pinnae are generally 1 to 3 centimeters long, with the longest pinnae reaching 1.5 to 3 centimeters and displaying a complex, partly two-pinnate structure. The fern's delicate fronds create elegant, textured formations in rocky mountain environments, adapting to serpentine and acidic soils with remarkable resilience.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; distinguished by full sun habitat preference and wide elevation range
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine to acidic soils, generally full sun, rock crevices, boulder bases
Elevation: 400-3200 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Siskiyou, Los Angeles, Alpine, Glenn, Inyo, Santa Cruz, Trinity, Tulare, El Dorado, Plumas, Butte, Placer, Shasta, Del Norte, Mendocino, Tehama, Lake, Sierra, Riverside, Modoc, Tuolumne, Humboldt, Nevada
Outside California: to British Columbia, Rocky Mountains, Arizona
How to tell it apart
vs Nephrolepis: Polystichum has bristle-tipped teeth and grows in wild habitats; Boston fern has smooth-edged leaflets and escapes from cultivation.; vs Dryopteris: Polystichum fronds feel prickly with bristle-tipped teeth; Dryopteris fronds feel smooth without bristles.; vs Polypodium: Polystichum has shield-shaped spore covers and bristly edges; polypody has naked round spore dots and smooth margins.; vs Struthiopteris: Polystichum has one frond type with bristly teeth; ostrich fern has separate narrow fertile fronds and smooth sterile ones.; vs Athyrium: Polystichum feels prickly and has shield-shaped spore covers; lady ferns feel soft with curved, elongated spore clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Polystichum scopulinum native to California?
Yes. Polystichum scopulinum is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Polystichum scopulinum grow?
Polystichum scopulinum occurs in San Bernardino, Siskiyou, Los Angeles, Alpine, Glenn, Inyo, Santa Cruz, Trinity and other counties, at elevations of 400-3200 m.
What plant family does Polystichum scopulinum belong to?
Polystichum scopulinum is in the Dryopteridaceae family, genus Polystichum.
What habitat does Polystichum scopulinum grow in?
Polystichum scopulinum grows in Serpentine to acidic soils, generally full sun, rock crevices, boulder bases.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Polystichum sp. — Sword fern
- Polystichum californicum — California sword fern
- Polystichum dudleyi — Dudley's sword fern
- Polystichum imbricans — Cliff sword fern
- Polystichum imbricans subsp. curtum
- Polystichum imbricans subsp. imbricans
- Cyrtomium falcatum — Hollyfern
- Cyrtomium sp. — Holly fern
- Dryopteridaceae sp. — Wood fern family
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.