Japanese shield fern

These plants grow good in partial shade or shade undergrowth, they can tolerate some moderate sunlight as well.

Herbaceous plants are not woody. Their stems are soft, usually remaining green. With some herabceous older stems may harden and look like woody stems (e. g. bamboo).

Leaves or needles remain on the plant throughout the winter and fall down in spring when new ones emerge. Part of leaves or needles may fall already in autumn or winter. The falling off depends on winter temperature, so some plants are evergreen in mild winter, yet decidous in cold winter

Plant can in otherwise appropriate environment survive cold down to - 23 °C.

Moist soil usually contain morefine clay parts and less sand, more humus and organic materials, they are somewhat heavier, but not hard; water does not run away quickly but stays among soil particles and is long available to plants. There is no stagnant water, soil is airy enough. Drought occurs rarely on such positions. Plants are given more or less permanent, moderate moisture.

Herbaceous, not woody plant. Stems and leaves may be evergreen or deciduous - thus regrowing every spring. Perennials may blossom consecutively for several years. Some perennials develop special underground organs - bulbs, corms or rootstocks and these species are treated separetelly, not with geophyte and tuberous plants.