(Autumn Fern) Dryopteris ‘Brilliance’ is rapidly becoming one of the most popular garden ferns. Its common name, ‘Brilliance Autumn Fern’ refers to the lustrous orange color of the newly emerging fronds which seem to glow against the backdrop of the shiny, dark green, mature fronds. The sori, which are produced in fall, are bright red. ‘Brilliance’ is particularly nice when grown in woodland or Japanese gardens. The best leaf color is achieved in part sun. Dryopteris ‘Brilliance’ stands about 2′ tall and wide and likes to be planted in moist to wet, well drained soil. Ferns are beautiful in mass plantings and generally the deer and rabbits will leave them alone.
