There are four general geographic zones for the occurrences of native ferns and for the adaptability of naive ferns for gardens as illustrated in the general diagrams at right. Refer to the Catalog for individual species ranges. For landscaping success and ecological integrity, planting species that are native to a particular region is recommended.

Some native ferns are cosmopolitan and are adapted to a very wide range of climatic conditions, while others are adapted only to cold or mild winter conditions. In nature, many native ferns are excellent indicators of soil pH and fertility and therefore provide valuable information about their prefered garden culture as well as their companion trees, shrubs, and flowering plants.

It is important to know the ecological preferences of individual fern species so that appropriate garden planting conditions can be provided. The maps on the right list regional species distribution. Click on Habitats and Ecological Conditions for guidelines about individual fern species and fern community ecological preferences,