Northern Maidenhair Fern
Adiantum pedatum
 
Northern maidenhair’s delicate, 8-30 in. fronds, with dark, shiny stems, spread their pinnae horizontally in a nearly perfect circle. This graceful, fan-like pattern is unique among native ferns. The fronds arise from a creeping rootstock in clusters. Burgundy red fiddleheads appear in early spring. The roots are wiry and black, colonizing in favorable sites. This fern is quite easy to grow if it is provided with the right conditions. 
 
Fern
Zones 3-8
Part to full shade
1 to 2.5 ft high; 1 to 1.5 ft wide
Tolerates deep shade. Intense heat combined with too much sun or dry soil may turn fronds brown.
Deer rarely damage