Invasive Sword Fern

Big red button that reads Invasive, No Uses Sword fern plant pulled up to show its roots

The invasive sword fern is a sneaky plant, as it looks almost exactly like a Florida native fern. To make matters worse, they share a common name—sword fern! The invasive sword fern can take over and displace all other ferns, ground covers and low growing plants by forming impenetrable dense stands. Luckily, there are a few signs you can look for in order to distinguish the unwelcome imposter.

UF/IFAS Resources