Yes — Strong Match
autumn fern (zones 6-8) covers every zone Delaware contains (7a-8a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Delaware spans zones 7a-8a, but your yard has its own microclimate — slope, trees, and low spots shift frost and sun across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score autumn fern against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
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Zone Comparison
Autumn Fern Needs
- USDA Zones: 6-8
- Sun: Part Sun
- Mature size: 2 ft tall
- Drought tolerance: Low
Delaware Has
- USDA Zones: 7a-8a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 23 - Mar 23
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 17 - Nov 19
- Annual Rainfall: 42-48 inches
- Common Soils: Sandy loam, Silt loam, Tidal marsh
Plant Zone Range (zones 6-8)
Plant data: USDA PLANTS Database / Growable Ground plant catalog. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Autumn Fern in Delaware
The frost window
Across Delaware, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 23 and Mar 23, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 17 and Nov 19 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 239-day window you can count on — up to 241 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: USDA PLANTS Database. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Drainage requirement: poorly (saturated >50% of year). A soil-survey lookup (NRCS SSURGO) flags whether your specific site matches.
Plant pH and drainage requirements from USDA PLANTS Database. Delaware soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Autumn Fern in Delaware — Quick Answer
- Verdict: Yes — Strong Match
- Plant Zones: 6-8 (USDA PLANTS Database)
- State Zones: 7a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023)
- Growing Season: 28°F hard freezes about Mar 23 - Mar 23 to Nov 17 - Nov 19 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020)
What Else to Consider for Autumn Fern in Delaware
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but Delaware growers also need to think about:
Sandy soils in southern DE drain too quickly
Salt spray damage near the coast
Rising water tables in low-lying areas
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every Delaware grower, not just autumn fern — is covered on the Delaware growing guide.
Where in Delaware Autumn Fern Is Zone-Hardy
Autumn Fern is rated for USDA zones 6–8. Every one of Delaware’s 3 counties sits inside that band — from Kent County at zone 7b to Sussex County at zone 7b — so winter cold is not what decides this plant anywhere in the state. What is left to vary is your own parcel: slope, shelter and cold-air drainage routinely move a site half a zone either way from the county figure.
The planting window moves with it. Sussex County holds its last hard freeze (28°F) until about Mar 23, while Kent County is clear by Mar 22 — 1 days apart. Set autumn fern out on your county’s date, not the state’s.
County hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023, per county. County last-freeze dates: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F killing freeze — earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost". Autumn Fern’s zone 6–8 band: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database. A parcel report resolves your address’s own zone and frost dates rather than its county’s.
Where in Delaware Fits Best
Even within Delaware's zones 7a-8a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for autumn fern (USDA PHZM 2023):
Delaware Cooperative Extension
For Delaware-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for autumn fern, the canonical source is University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Common Questions About Growing Autumn Fern in Delaware
When can I plant Autumn Fern in Delaware?
Delaware's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 23 and Mar 23, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Nov 17 and Nov 19 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Time outdoor planting to after the last hard freeze for your specific site — a further two to three weeks for anything tender — and count back from those dates for transplant scheduling.
What hardiness zone is Autumn Fern grown in across Delaware?
Delaware spans USDA hardiness zones 7a-8a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Autumn Fern carries a range of zones 6-8, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical Delaware site have?
A typical Delaware site sees ~241 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Autumn Fern should be matched against that window, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date.
Will Autumn Fern actually grow on my specific land in Delaware?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores autumn fern against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in Delaware
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores autumn fern against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that Delaware autumn fern averages can't show:
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Growing guides for autumn fern
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