Ferns are delicate plants that only grow in areas where there are suitably moist conditions. They favour sheltered areas under the forest canopy, along creeks and streams and other sources of permanent moisture. Ferns reproduce differently from the conifers and flowering plants. There are many different varieties and sizes Ferns in Green Timbers.
Bracken Fern Deer Fern Lady Fern Licorice Fern Spiny Wood Fern Sword Fern
Bracken Fern - Polypodiales Polypodiaceae Pteridium aquilinum Identification & Description: Bracken is a large fern, sometimes growing over three feet tall. Instead of the usual leaves, ferns have fronds, made up of smaller leaflets (groups of mini-leaves) with small pinnae (tiny mini-leaves) on them. Bracken fronds are shaped like triangles. Each frond usually has [...]
Deer Fern - Polypodiales Polypodiaceae Blechnum spicant Identification & Description: Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant) Very common understory on upland prairies, less common in forest understory. Two types of fronds occur on these fern. Sterile fronds are perennial, growing in radial pattern from rhizomes with pairs of leathery leaflets. One to three fertile fronds are [...]
Lady Fern - Polypodiales Polypodiaceae Athyrium filix-femina Identification & Description: Lady Fern is a deciduous, perennial fern about 24 to 36 inches tall. Its light green, lacy leaves are about 24 to 30" long and 6 to 9" wide and tapered at both ends. The fronds are cut twice and grow from a central [...]
Licorice Fern - Polypodiales Polypodiaceae Polypodium glycyrrhiza Identification & Description: The long, pointed-trangle fronds of this evergreen fern range in size from 10-70cm on average. Its leathery leaves are once pinnately divided, with a light brown stipe; they are usually shorter than 50cm (20 inches) long. Its rhizome (root-like structure) has a scaly, reddish-brown [...]
Spiny Wood Fern - Dryopteridales Dryopteridaceae Dryopteris expansa Identification & Description: Fronds clustered, erect and spreading to 3 feet tall. Rhizomes stout, ascending to erect, clothed with chaffy, brown scales. Frond stipes scaly at the base; blades broadly triangular to egg-shaped to broadly oblong, 3 times pinnate; leaflets 5-20 pairs, the lowest pair broadly [...]
Sword Fern - Polypodiales Polypodiaceae Polystichum munitum Identification & Description: If you have ever ventured into the forests of the Pacific Northwest, then you have surely seen the magnificent sword fern. It is so common throughout the forests in its range, that if there is a tree overhead, chances are there is a sword [...]
