Ferns in the Landscape

GARDENING | PLANT ID

Ferns add a lovely texture

And beautiful background for statuary

A fern is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores located on the underside of the complex leaves. The complex leaves are called megaphylls. Ferns have neither flowers nor seeds.

     Fern Grotto, San Antonio Botanical Garden

"Researchers have assembled one of the largest global assessment of fern diversity. The study integrated digitized herbarium data, genetic data, and climatic data and discovered 58% of fern species occur in eight principally montane hotspots that comprise only 7% of Earth's land area. And within these hotspots, patterns of heightened diversity were amplified at higher elevations above 1000 meters."¹

I like to use ferns as the background canvas in the landscape or for fill in container plantings

Wood fern

(1) Plant form (2) Plant leaf, megaphyll (3) fern reproduction spores, sori

 

There are a few ferns that grow in Texas including:

• Southern river wood fern, Dryopteris ludoviciana 
• Dwarf river fern, Thelypteri ovata Lindheimerii 
• Japanese holly fern, Cyrtomium falcatum (not native to Texas but sold in Nurseries and used by landscape architects).
• Brilliance autumn fern, Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance'   
• Southern maidenhair, Adiantum capillus-veneris
• Sensitive fern, Onoclea sensibilis

Japanese holly fern, Cyrtomium falcatum, Dryopteridaceae family, Asian native.  Planted in a protected site on the north side of the house with native hollies.

(1) Plant form (2)Plant leaf, megaphyll (3) fern reproduction spores, sori

  Nephrolepis obliterata Kimberley Queen Fern
Nephrolepdaceae family
Australian native

 Asplenium trichomanes   Maidenhair Spleenwort

Table 1: FERNS (photograph/post links)
TAXON			ORIGIN		HISTORIES, SYMBOLISM, PURPOSES
Order	Family	Vernacular Name	Country of Origin	Cultivated Origin	Art, Literature, Biblical, OED	Chemistry, Medicinal, pigments	Horticulture: ornamental landscape, edible
Gleicheniales	FAMILY | DIPTERIDACEAE	Umbrella ferns	Asia, New Guinea and northern Australia		fossils being known from the Middle Triassic of Italy, Australia and Argentina		ornamental
Gleicheniales	FAMILY | GLEICHENIACEAE	Forked ferns					ornamental
Ophioglossales	FAMILY | OPHIOGLOSSACEAE	Adder's-tongue family	Some India			The genus Ophioglossum has the highest chromosome counts of any known plant.	ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | BLECHNACEAE	Hard Fern Family					ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | CIBOTIACEAE	Tree Fern Family	Central and S. America				ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | CULCITACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | CYATHEACEAE	Scaly Tree Fern Family					ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | DAVALLIACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | DENNSTAEDTIACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | DICKSONIACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | DRYOPTERIDACEAE	Wood ferns					ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | GRAMMITIDACEAE (Polypodiaceae)						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | HYMENOPHYTACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | POLYPODIACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | PTERIDACEAE	Fern Family			Pteridomania; *		ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | WOODSIACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | ASPLENIACEAE	Spleenworts Family					ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | DIDMOCHLAENACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | HYPODEMATIACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | LOMARIOPSIDACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | LOMARIOPSIDACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | NEPHROLPIDACEAE						ornamental
Polypodiales	FAMILY | TECTARIACEAE						ornamental
Psilotales	FAMILY | PSILOTACEAE						ornamental
Schizaeales	FAMILY | ANEMIACEAE	Flowering Ferns					ornamental
Schizaeales	FAMILY | LYGODIACEAE						ornamental
Schizaeales	FAMILY | SCHIZAEACEAE						ornamental

Fern-like Plants that are Sometimes Confused with Ferns

A Fern-like plant that isn't a fern but is beautiful non-the-less. Ming Fern, Asparagus retrofractus, has that lacy fern-like appearance but is actually a monocot in the asparagus family. Ming fern is a perennial evergreen. It is drought tolerant and can grow in subtropic and Mediterranean  climates (hardiness zone 9+). On our trip through the San Antonio Botanical Garden we found the Fern Grotto to be about 100% humidity. Many ferns like a shady and humid environment. San Antonio is in the USDA Hardiness Zone 8b and 9a. They have placed this just outside the Fern Grotto. It is a showy and lacy plant that thrives in the San Antonio ecosystem.

Asparagus retrofractus  Ming Fern

Asparagus_Fern______________________________
Asparagus fern (Asparagus aethiopicus) is often thought to be a true fern but is actually related to lilies (monocots). Used in this container garden it adds height and beautiful texture. It is a native of China.

Asparagus aethiopicus Asparagus fern
  Asparagaceae family.

Fern Societies:  American Fern Society

Ferneries. The Dorrance H. Hamilton Fernery at The Morris Arboretum.

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References:                                                

1. Diggs, George M, and Barney L. Lipscomb. The Ferns and Lycophytes of Texas. Fort Worth, Tex: Botanical Research Institute of Texas BRIT, 2014. Print.
2. Weinstein, Mobee. The Complete Book of Ferns: Indoors -- Outdoors -- Growing -- Crafting -- History & Lore. , 2019. Print.
3. Lidderdale, Charles Sillem, The fern gatherer, 1877
4. Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. "Ferns in the mountains: Researchers reveal the biogeographical patterns of fern diversity." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 February 2021. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210216114939.htm>.

Footnotes:

¹Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. "Ferns in the mountains: Researchers reveal the biogeographical patterns of fern diversity." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 February 2021. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210216114939.htm>.

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©  2020 Hyden Photography for

Grassroots Horticulture 

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