Ferns are unique in that they do not flower or produce seeds, but instead reproduce vegetatively or through spores. If you’ve ever seen dark brown dots on the bottom of a fern frond – those are spores! Spores are most often found on the underside of fronds in clusters called sori.

1)  Woodwardia fimbriata                                                           Giant Chain Fern

This species is the largest fern native to North America and is found on the coast in moist coniferous forests from British Columbia to Baja California. Appearing like bright green stiches or chains in the middle of the leaves, the sori of this species are visible on both the upper and lower surface of the fronds. Many of these ferns can be found along the west side of the Arboretum Loop Trail.

Roy Farrow

2)  Dryopteris sieboldii                                                                Siebold’s Wood Fern

Originating from South China and Japan, this evergreen fern has large, leathery leaves resistant to deer and drought. The sori of this fern take the form of dark brown circles clustered on the underside of the leaves. Multiple specimens can be found on the north side of the creek in Upper Rhododendron Glen.

Roy Farrow

3)  Adiantum venustum                                                   Evergreen Maidenhair Fern

Also known as the Himalayan Maidenhair, this deciduous fern is found in eastern Asia at elevations as high as 12,000 feet. A drug named “Hansraj” used in India to treat bronchitis and fevers is produced from the fronds of this species. Due to this and the black color of the frond spines, the plant is sometimes known as black Hansraj. A cascading cluster of this species can be found on the north side of the creek in Upper Rhododendron Glen.

Roy Farrow

4)  Blechnum spicant                                                                            Deer Fern

The deer fern is dimorphic, meaning it has two separate frond types. The low lying evergreen fronds are sterile and lack spores. Fertile fronds containing sori emerge from the center of the rosette in spring and last until the end of summer. Deer ferns can be found in the Pinetum, just north of the Wilcox Bridge.

Roy Farrow

5)  Polypodium glycyrrhiza                                                               Licorice Fern

Native to the coast of Alaska to California, this fern is named for the licorice flavor of the rhizomes used as a remedy for cold, coughs, and sore throats by coastal Indigenous people, including the Nitinaht and the Hesquiat. The Licorice Fern is commonly found as an epiphyte, meaning it grows on other plants without harming the host species. This species can be found growing on a large maple tree in the north end of the Sorbus Collection.

Roy Farrow