Autumn fern earns its name from the new fronds, which unfurl coppery orange each spring before deepening to glossy green. In Birmingham it holds foliage through most winters, giving shade beds structure year-round. Clumps reach about 2 feet tall and wide with a refined, arching shape.

Plant it in shade to part shade in soil worked with organic matter. Once established it handles clay soils and short dry spells with little fuss, and deer and rabbits leave it alone. Groom out any tattered fronds in late winter before the new growth unrolls.