Ferns

One of the most magnificent ferns for the garden – Ostrich fern has an upright growth habit with 3 ft long graceful fronds. The young fronds (called fiddle heads as the emerge) are EDIBLE and coveted by Chefs!

The sterile fronds of ostrich fern are 2-8 ft. tall, once-pinnate, tapered at both base and apex, brown-stemmed, and slightly scaly. Fertile fronds are shorter, with edges of pinnae turned in to form a beaded plume persistent through winter. The rootstock is creeping, producing urn-like clusters of fronds.

Sensitive fern varies in height from a few inches to more than 3 ft. Its sterile fronds, which wither early, are light to brown-mottled green and deeply cut into long lobes which almost reach the stem. Twice-pinnate fertile fronds appear in late summer and, though dead, remain upright through winter. Fiddleheads appear in the spring in shades of pale red. The roots colonize but are usually shallow, though hefty. The stalks of this fern are said to have a decorative, beaded appearance, lending the plant one of its common names, Bead Fern. Common name is derived from the early sensitivity of this fern to frost.

Compact, wiry, horizontal rhizome; easy to grow; prefers moist, average to humus rich soil in sun or shade but will grow in dry, stony soil. Interrupted Ferns are one of first ferns to begin growth in spring, spreads slowly, dies in center of clump with growth continuing on edges. This plant is seldom damaged by deer.

The American Royal Fern is a spectacular, majestic fern that thrives in bogs and wet areas where it frequently reaches four feet or more. It is not limited to life in swamps, however, and when kept moist grows well in the shady garden although it will be more modest in size.It will happily tolerate almost full sun as well in northern climates. Look for it as a dominant plant in botanical garden waterside plantings.As a truly ancient deciduous species it carries its green spores on separate stalks which will persist as tan frond tops.Straight Species.

Christmas fern got its name because it stays green right through the holiday season. It is a robust, leathery fern which has glossy, green fronds year-round. The fronds grow in clusters from a crownless rootstock and range from 1-2 ft. in length. Fertile fronds are taller. The once-divided fronds with pointed pinnae result in a medium to coarse texture. The silvery fiddleheads emerge in early spring.

Christmas fern is very easy to establish and grow where conditions are right. It requires cool, moist, well-drained soil in shade. In the right spot, it can be a good, evergreen border or accent plant. Though often used as a groundcover, it is a clumping fern, not forming a continuous, undifferentiated carpet the way some ferns do.

New York Ferns are medium sized, deciduous ferns with yellow-green fronds. They grow one to two feet high, in clumps of two to three feet in width. New York Fern often grows in large colonies carpeting the forest floor. This fern is not evergreen, its fronds turn golden brown in the fall and die back as the weather gets colder.