This lecture was given in February, 2011 as part of the California native plant gardening series ‘Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden’

1. Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with Western L.A. County Native Plants
Project SOUND – 2011 (our 7th year)
© Project SOUND

2. Fabulous Ferns
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
February 5 & 8, 2011
© Project SOUND

3. What do you picture when you think of ferns?
© Project SOUND

4. http://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/archives/835
Fern Dell at Griffith Park
© Project SOUND

5. Ferns go back a long ways…> 360 MYA
http://taggart.glg.msu.edu/isb200/cswamp.jpg
Ferns had their heyday in the Carboniferous Period (360-
300 MYA) - 100 MY before the dinosaurs
http://www.kgg.org.uk/alethopteris4.jpg © Project SOUND

6. The move from water to land was difficult – even
though conditions were a lot more tropical
(humid/watery) back then
 Need:
 a rigid structural system
for support
 anchors to the ground
(plants) or ways to move
around
 a vascular system to
transport water and
nutrients
All this takes a long time and
the ability to change – a lot
© Project SOUND
http://cmex.ihmc.us/VikingCD/Puzzle/Advance2.GIF

7. Ferns were among the first plants with a
vascular system & lignin support system
http://media.photobucket.com/image/plant%20evolution%20tree/kofh/Genesis/plantkingdom.jpg © Project SOUND

8. They also evolved a more sophisticated
means of reproduction – alteration of
generations (e.g. ‘sex’)
© Project SOUND

9. All higher organisms
(including ferns & humans)
have alternation of
generations
 In sexual reproduction, only ½ of a
parent’s chromosomes are passed
on to the egg/sperm/spore (they
are the (n) generation)
 When fertilization occurs the new
embryo (and the resulting adult)
have the full complement of
chromosomes (2n generation)
 Sexual reproduction allows a
species to recombine genetic
traits
© Project SOUND

10. So ferns – like all other higher
plants – do have sex
It’s just not quite as efficient - and it requires water
© Project SOUND

11. Ferns now make up only a fraction of the
living plants – in part due to less efficient sex
http://crescentok.com/staff/jaskew/ISR/botzo/plants.gif
© Project SOUND

12. What are the ferns? (summary)
 Ferns are vascular plants differing from
mosses by having true leaves.
 They differ from seed plants
(gymnosperms and angiosperms) in their
mode of reproduction—lacking flowers
and seeds.
 Like all other vascular plants, they have
a life cycle referred to as alternation of
generations, characterized by a diploid
sporophytic and a haploid gametophytic
phase.
 Unlike the gymnosperms and
angiosperms, the ferns' gametophyte is
a free-living organism.
http://www.perspective.com/nature/plantae/ferns.html © Project SOUND

13. The American Fern Society
 Over 100 years old – established in 1892
 > 900 members worldwide (one of the largest
international fern clubs in the world.
 Objective: fostering interest in ferns and fern allies.
 Wide range of publications & activities – good way to
learn more about wild ferns from experts and meet
other people with a similar passion for ferns.
 Web site - http://www.amerfernsoc.org/ is
designed to expand on this exchange of information
with amateurs and professionals around the world.
© Project SOUND

14. Taxonomy of the Ferns – in a state of change
http://www.amerfernsoc.org/
© Project SOUND

15. The living fern-allies can be divided into four
classes:  Psilotopsida:
 ?Only living member Psilotum (whisk ferns)
 Probably the most primitive vascular plant
still in existence - may be directly related
to the first vascular plants on land.
 Lycopodiopsida:
 Represented by the Selaginellia
(Spikemosses), Lycopodium (clubmosses),
and the Isoetes (Quillworts).
 Equisetopsida:
 Represented today by only one genus,
Equisetum (Horsetails).
© Project SOUND

16. The living fern-allies can be divided into
four classes:
 Polypodiopsida (Pteropsida)
 The true ferns
 By far the most numerous of
all of the fern-allies.
 Nine sub-classes (Families),
about 250-300 genera and
over 12,000 different species
alive today.
© Project SOUND

17. Selected Families/Genera used in gardens
 Family Adiantaceae
 Genus Adiantum (Maidenhair Ferns)
 Genus Cheilanthes (Lipferns)
 Family Blechnaceae
 Genus Woodwardia (Chain-ferns)
 Family Dennstaedtiaceae
 Genus Dennstaedtia (Hay-scented fern)
 Genus Pteridium (Bracken)
 Family Dryopteridaceae
 Genus Cystopteris (Fragile Fern)
 Genus Dryopteris (Wood Ferns)
 Genus Matteuccia (Ostrich Fern)
 Genus Onoclea (Sensitive Fern)
 Genus Polystichum (Sword Ferns)
 Genus Woodsia (Woodsias)
 Family Polypodiaceae
 Genus Polypodium (Polypodies)
 Family Thelypteridaceae
 Genus Thelypteris (Beech Fern)
© Project SOUND

18. Selected Families/Genera used in gardens
 Family Dryopteridaceae – Woodfern Family
 Genus Cystopteris (Fragile Fern)
 Genus Dryopteris (Wood Ferns)
 Genus Matteuccia (Ostrich Fern)
 Genus Onoclea (Sensitive Fern)
 Genus Polystichum (Sword Ferns)
 Genus Woodsia (Woodsias)
© Project SOUND

19. The Sword Ferns - genus Polystichum
http://hardyfernlibrary.com/ferns/listSpecies.cfm?Auto=60
Western Sword Fern
 135-160 species worldwide – mostly temperate regions
 Usually live in moist places
 Have typical fern structure/anatomy
© Project SOUND

20. Parts of a typical fern
http://www.davidlnelson.md/Cazadero/Ferns.htm
 Leaf = frond
 Midrib of leaf = rachis
 Petiole = stalk, stipe
 Leaflets = pinna
 Stem/stalk (rootstalk) = rhizome (like rhizome of higher plants)
 Roots = roots
© Project SOUND

21. * Western Sword Fern – Polystichum munitum
http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/pol_mun.html
© Project SOUND

22. * Western Sword Fern – Polystichum munitum
 Western N. America, primarily coastal
states, from AK to Baja
 In CA, almost always below 2500 ft.
 Favored habitat: the understory of moist
coniferous forests at low elevations –
locally, San Gabriel mtns.
 It grows best in a well-drained acidic soil
of rich humus and small stones.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200004619
http://www.backyardnature.net/n/x/sword-fn.htm
© Project SOUND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystichum_munitum

23. Fern pinna may be divided
into pinnules or lobes
 1 times pinnate – simple
[Sword Fern]
 2 times pinnate – more
complex [Wood Fern]
 3 or 4 times pinnate –
complex (look lacy)
[Maidenhair & Lipfern]
© Project SOUND
http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall00Projects/swordfern.html

24. Western Sword Fern – corresponds to
most people’s notion of a fern
 Size:
 3-6 ft tall
 spreading to 3-6 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Upright growth habit
 Height depends on light – taller in
dense shade
 Evergreen leaves in clumps of 100
or so – moderate spread rate
 Long-lived
 Foliage:
 Medium to dark green
 Single pinnate ( 1 times pinnate)
with alternating pinna
 Fronds unroll, forming fiddleheads
© 2008 Matt Below © Project SOUND

25.  A sorus (pl. sori) - a cluster of sporangia
The fern sorus (structures producing/containing spores)
 Form yellow/brownish mass on the edge or
underside of a fertile frond.
 In some species, sori are protected by a
scale or film of tissue called the indusium,
which forms an umbrella-like cover.
 As the sporongia mature, the indusium
shrivels. The sporangia then burst and
release the spores.
 The shape, arrangement, and location of
the sori are often valuable clues in the
identification of fern taxa.
 May be circular or linear.
 Arranged in rows or randomly
 Location may be marginal or set away from
the margin on the frond lamina.
© Project SOUND
http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/pcmb/osu_pcmb/pcmb_lab_resources/images/pcmb300/cfern2/reproduction3.jpg

26. Reproduction by spores
Ex: Sword Ferns
 Sword fern sori occur on the undersides
of normal-sized pinnae more generally
distributed along the frond.
 Each round sorus is composed of dozens
http://www.backyardnature.net/n/x/sword-fn.htm of spherical items. Those are not spores,
but rather stalked, baglike sporangia filled
with several spores.
 When the sporangia are ripe they burst,
release the spores, and the wind carries
the spores to new locations
 If environmental conditions are just right,
they germinate to form fern prothalli, from
which eventually new ferns will emerge.
© 2008 Keir Morse © Project SOUND
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya

27. Sword Ferns are  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained loams are
forest floor plants best
 pH: acidic (4.0 – 7.0)
 Likes lots of humus
 Light:
 Part shade to quite dark full
shade
 Water:
 Winter: plenty
 Summer: moist soils – Zone 3
 Fertilizer:
 ½ strength fertilizer fine
 Organic mulch – leaf litter is
optimal
 Other: difficult in very hot
gardens
© 2008 Matt Below
© Project SOUND

28. Sword Ferns – woodsy
 Brightens very shady places
 Under dense evergreens (pines, etc)
 At back or shaded beds – nice
background color
 On wet, mossy banks
Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences
http://www.rainyside.com/features/plant_gallery/nativeplants/Polystichum_munitum.html
© Project SOUND
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/polystichum-munitum

29. Sword Ferns -
Victorian
 In a decorative pot
 In a wall or fern grotto
 In a rocky fernery
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PNQkvKYUhfgwxJ9NW0YE_A
http://www.paghat.com/swordfern.html
© Project SOUND

30. Family Dryopteridaceae (Woodfern Family)
 Genus Dryopteris (Wood Ferns)
 Wood ferns, male ferns, and buckler
ferns
 ~250 species; temperate Northern
Hemisphere (highest species
diversity in eastern Asia).
 Hybridization common within this
group; many species formed by
hybridization.
J. William Thompson  Dryopteris species are used as food
plants by the larvae of some
Lepidoptera species.
© Project SOUND

31. Coastal Wood Fern – Dryopteris arguta
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND

32. Coastal Wood Fern – Dryopteris arguta
 Most commonly near coast & in coastal
ravines from British Columbia to central
CA – tho’ south to Baja, Sierra foothills
 Locally on Catalina & San Clemente Isl,
Santa Monica & San Gabriel Mtns.
 N. slopes/shady creeks: oak woodland,
chaparral, coastal sage scrub up to 5000’
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500589
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/dryopteris-arguta
© Project SOUND
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?19,27,28

33. Coastal Wood Fern is adaptable
Coastal forests, WA state In the Santa Monica Mtns
© Ed Alverson
© 2004 Brent Miller
© Project SOUND
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Dryopteris_arguta.htm

34. Coastal Wood Fern: a medium-size fern
 Size:
 2-3 ft tall (largest in rainforests)
 2-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Moderately spreading clump
 Fronds usually upright/fairly straight
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/dryopteris-arguta  Foliage:
Medium to dark green; prom. scales
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Dryopterida.html

 2 times pinnate - moderately complex
structure
 Foliage soft - not stiff
 Quite variable – some types appear
ruffled or lacy (leaflets turned at an
angle
 Drought-deciduous (S. CA Oak
http://hardyfernlibrary.com/f
erns/listSpecies.cfm?Auto=
Woodlands)
3
© Project SOUND

35. Sori are showy
 Sporulates: usually late
spring/early summer in S. CA
 Sori:
 Rounded – look like a bagel
prior to maturity
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
 Located in 2 parallel rows
midway between midvein
and margin of the segment
 Spores:
 Vegetative reproduction:
 Via rhizomes
 Moderate spreading
© 2003 Keir Morse © Project SOUND
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya

36.  Soils:
Sword Ferns: adaptable  Texture: most
 pH: slightly acidic (4.0-7.0) – under
evergreens/oaks would be fine
 Light:
 Part-shade to full shade
 This is truly a forest under-story
fern; good even under dense
trees
 Water:
 Winter: like plenty
 Summer: quite adaptable
 Zone 2-3 or 3 – will stay green
 Zone 1-2 or 2 – drought
deciduous
 Fertilizer: ½ strength or none
Mark W. Skinner @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
 Other: likes a good leaf mulch layer
© Project SOUND

37. Wood Ferns - lovely
 Ferns always look nice in large
containers
 Great for shady slopes/banks –
even growing in retaining walls
 Give a woodsy or old-fashioned
(Victorian) look to any garden
 In food/medicinal garden
© 2003 Michael Charters
http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=88976
© Project SOUND

38. Human uses of ferns
 As source of fiber
 For mats, bedding
 For religious/spiritual
purposes
 As food: young fronds –
usually cooked (note: some
http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=88976
mutagenic/carcinogenic
compounds
 As a source of medicines:
© Project SOUND

39. Take your cues from
Mother Nature
 North slope, in shade of oaks,
evergreens, Bay, even Toyon
 With elderberries, snowberries,
© 2004 Brent Miller yarrow, goldenrods
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Dryopteris-arguta/
© Project SOUND

40. Genus Woodwardia – the Chain Ferns
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233501358
 Large ferns of temperate climates
 in the family Blechnaceae
© Project SOUND

41. Giant Chain Fern – Woodwardia fimbriata
W. Carl Taylor @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
© Project SOUND

42. Giant Chain Fern – Woodwardia fimbriata
 Primarily found in CA Floristic
Province (W. of Sierras) except the
Great central Valley)
 Occasional (?relict) populations
elsewhere from WA to Baja
 Locally in Santa Monica and San
Gabriel Mtns.
 Many plant communities but mostly in
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.as
px?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233501358
redwood, mixed conifer & mixed
conifer-hardwood forests < 5000 ft
 Always where moisture is present,
such as stream banks or springs
 Introduced into cultivation in
California by Theodore Payne.
© Project SOUND
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?11,14,15

43. Remarkable
consistent looking
http://www.researchlearningcenter.com/bloom/species/Woodwardia_fimbriata.htm
Santa Monica Mountains
http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Woodwardia_fimbriata
© Project SOUND

44. The name says it all…Giant Chain Fern
 Size:
 4-8 ft tall (usually 4-6 ft)
 4-5 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Upright to vase-shaped
clump
 Moderate spread rate
 Foliage:
 Medium to dark green –
evergreen
 Petioles brown at base
 Twice-pinnate leaves – large
and somewhat coarse-looking
 Fronds unfurl as fiddleneck
 Rhizomes: stout
© Project SOUND
http://www.coestatepark.com/woodwardia_fimbriata_c
oe.htm

45. Sori give the plant its
common name
 Sori mature: late spring
summer
 Sori:
 Elongated
 In double ‘chains’ along the
pinna midrib
 Visible from both surfaces
of pinna
© J. William Thompson
© Project SOUND

46. Woodwardia : well-suited to some gardens
 Soils:
 Texture: most
 pH: acidic (4.0-7.0) – ? amend
 Light:
 Part-shade to full shade
 Good for dappled shade or N-facing
exposures
 Water:
 Young plants: moist
 Winter: supplement in drought
winters
 Summer: Zone 3 in part-shade;
tolerates Zone 2 or 2-3 in shade
Chain Ferns like an organic  Fertilizer: ½ OK
mulch – like in their forest
homes © Project SOUND

47. Giant Chair Fern: a garden favorite
 From California Native Plants,
Theodore Payne's 1941 catalog:
"The most useful of the native
ferns, having long graceful
fronds of a vivid shade of light
green, often 4 to 5 feet in length.
Creates a wonderful effect on a
shady bank or under trees, and
very striking when planted
against a wall or building in a
shady spot. Very hardy and
easy to grow. Gallon cans, 50c;
5 gallon cans, $1.50."
© Project SOUND

48.  As an attractive pot plant
 Under pines and other evergreen
trees – evokes the feeling of a
woodland
 In other shady places – near
ponds or water features
 As a big, dramatic accent plant
 In Jurassic Park
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/crypto/msg112238042369.html
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College © Project SOUND

49. Victorian ‘Pteridomania’
 Pteridomania or Fern-
Fever was a craze for
ferns. Victorian
decorative arts
presented the fern
motif in pottery, glass,
metal, textiles, wood,
printed paper, and
sculpture, with ferns
"appearing on
everything from
christening presents to
gravestones and
memorials."
http://www.georgeglazer.com/prints/nathist/botanical/fern.html
© Project SOUND

50. Victorian ‘Pteridomania’ (Fern Mania)
 The interest in ferns began in
the late 1830s when the British
countryside attracted increasing
numbers of amateur and
professional botanists (male and
female).
 People of many different social
backgrounds sought out the
species and varieties described
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pteridomania
in the fern identification books
to press the fronds in albums or
to collect fern plants to grow in
their gardens or homes.
 Some ferns were, unfortunately,
collected out of existence
Wardian Case © Project SOUND

51. To learn more
© Project SOUND

52. Caring for the larger
ferns
 Location is key to success: pay
particular attention to light
and water requirements
 Well-placed ferns are pretty
easy
http://noseeds.blogspot.com/2010/05/woodwardia-fimbriata.html
 Cut off oldest (dead or nearly
so) fronds at time new ones
are emerging
 No need to cut all fronds back
to the ground in winter – an old
technique that’s better
forgotten
© Project SOUND

53. Many people think that all ferns require lots
of water…..
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/species/Dryopteris_arguta.htm
© Project SOUND
http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=88976

54. Family Adiantaceae (Pteridaceae)
 Creeping or erect rhizomes
 Mostly terrestrial or epipetric (growing on rock)
 Fronds usually compound; linear sori - typically on the margins -
protected by a false indusium formed from the reflexed margin
of the leaf.
 Adiantoid ferns;
 Adiantum, the maidenhair ferns
 Cheilanthoid ferns;
 Argyrochosma
 Aspidotis the lace ferns
 Astrolepis
 Cheilanthes, the lip ferns
 Notholaena, the cloak ferns
 Pellaea, the cliff brakes
 Pteridoid ferns;
 Pteris, the brakes
© Project SOUND

55. Common Maidenhair Fern – Adiantum capillus-veneris
© 2009 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy
© Project SOUND

56. Common Maidenhair Fern – Adiantum capillus-veneris
 Grows in warmer-winter
places throughout much of
the Americas, Eurasia &
Africa
 In CA, many disjoint areas
including Catalina Island
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200003518
 ?? Native or naturalized
 In CA, uncommon (or locally
common). Shaded, rocky or
moist banks, exposed sites
or not
© Project SOUND
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Adiantum+capillus-veneris

57. The Maidenhair Ferns  ~ 200 species of ferns in the family
Pteridaceae (though some researchers place it
genus Adiantum in its own family, Adiantaceae)
 Name comes from Greek, meaning "not
wetting", referring to the fronds' ability to
shed water without becoming wet.
 The highest species diversity is in the Andes
in South America. Fairly high diversity also
occurs in eastern Asia, with nearly 40 species
in China.
 Distinctive in appearance, with dark, often
black stipes and rachises, and bright green,
often delicately-cut leaf tissue.
 The sori are borne submarginally, and are
covered by reflexed flaps of leaf tissue which
resemble indusia.
 Generally prefer humus-rich, moist, well-
drained sites. Many species are especially
known for growing on rock walls around
waterfalls and water seepage areas.
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS © 2001 Larry Blakely
Many species common in horticultural
trade for a long time © Project SOUND

58. Common Maidenhair – sweet & delicate
 Size:
 1-2 ft tall (may be < 1 ft)
 1-3 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Open, mounded habit
 Slow-growing – remains clumped
 Evergreen or summer dormant
 Foliage:
 Light/bright green
 Dark rachis many-branched
 Pinnae small, very wide (fan-
shaped to round)
 Margins incised - ruffled-look
 Refined and delicate
appearance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiantum_capillus-veneris
© Project SOUND
© 2009 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy

59. Sora are unusual
 Sori marginal.
 There is a flap of tissue known
as an indusium covering the
sporangia (where spores are
located).
 Indusia-like membranaceous
flaps, formed from the
reflexed margins of the frond,
cover the sora
http://hardyfernlibrary.com/ferns/listSpecies.cfm?Auto=156 © Project SOUND

60. Easy to grow in the  Soils:
 Texture: most – fine in sandy
right place
 pH: any local (4.0-8.0)
 Light:
 Part-shade to full shade –
dappled shade favored
 No full sun, but bright shade is
great
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: best with regular
water (2-3 or 3); Zone 2 is fine
but will likely die back
 Fertilizer: ½ strenght up to once
a month – particularly if grown in
container
 Other: likes leaf mulch
© 2004 James M. Andre
© Project SOUND

61. Maidenhair Fern:
pot plant & more
 Near a pond or other water
feature
 As a groundcover under
trees
 As a pretty, evergreen
© 2009 Dr. Amadej Trnkoczy accent plant
 Pretty texture & color in
shady mixed beds
© 2009 Julie Kierstead Nelson
© Project SOUND
http://www.jaycjayc.com/adiantum-capillus-veneris-maidenhairfern/

62. Cultivar ‘Banksianum’
 Attractive color
 Larger pinnae
 Very ruffled appearance
– super showy
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=629  Available at the Grow
Native (RSABG) nursery
in Westwood &
Theodore Payne
Foundation
© Project SOUND

63. Maidenhair (and other) ferns as medicine
 Maidenhair fern has a long history of
medicinal use – still used today
 A tea/syrup used for coughs, throat
afflictions and bronchitis.
 Externally, it is used as a poultice on snake
bites, bee stings etc.
 In Brazilian herbal medicine today, frond/
leaf are employed for hair loss, coughs,
bronchitis, laryngitis/throat dryness, and
http://www.milagroherbs.com/images/hairsupportpills to improve appetite and digestion,
stimulate renal function, regulate
.jpg
To learn more about plant menstruation, and facilitate childbirth.
compound come to ‘Talking
Plants; next Sat. (2/12 –  Has both anti-bacterial & anti-viral
10:00 a.m.) (selective) properties
© Project SOUND

64. Coville’s Lipfern – Cheilanthes covillei
© Project SOUND

65. Coville’s Lipfern – Cheilanthes covillei
 Southwestern U.S.
into Baja
 Locally in Santa
Monica & San Gabriel
Mtns
 Rocky slopes, cliffs,
and ledges, 1500'-
9000‘
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flor
a_id=1&taxon_id=233500349
 Chaparral, yellow pine
forest, pinyon-juniper
woodland, deserts
© Project SOUND
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?92,106,109

66. The Lipferns – genus
Cheilanthes
 ~ 150 species – about 1/2
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500349
in Mexico & SW U.S.
 10 species endemic to CA
 Small ferns of dry places
 Have hairs of scales on
frond underside –
adaptation to hot, dry
conditions
 Very drought tolerant –
curl up and go dormant
© Project SOUND

67. Coville’s Lipfern – rather unique
 Size:
 ~ 1 ft tall
 ~ 1 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Upright fronds from a short
rhizome
 Drought-deciduous
 Foliage:
 Medium green
 Up to 4-pinnate – so, very sub-
divided
 Have a bumpy, cobbled appearance
– quite unusual & decorative
© Project SOUND

68. http://www.theodorepayne.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Cheilanthes_covillei
© Project SOUND

69. Look for this fern in the
Santa Monica Mtns
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/mobile/species/Cheilanthes
_covillei.htm
© Project SOUND

70. Lipferns and rocks  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained soils –
often between rocks
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: adequate rains
 Summer: occasional water to
dry ( Zone 1-2 to 2); will die
back to ground in drought
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: easy to grow
© 2003 Larry Blakely © Project SOUND

71. Mother Nature’s tips
for gardening
 Plant among rocks protected from
afternoon sun.
 A good understory plant for oaks
and other evergreen trees
http://arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/plantae/cheilanthes_covillei.ht  Well placed in a pot or a native
rock garden, where its fine
ml
texture can be appreciated up
close.
 In a mixed groundcover with
native grasses, bulbs
 With its native companions: Wild
Tarragon, Elderberry, Miner’s
Lettuce, Brickelbush, Narrowleaf
Willow & Californica Goldenrod
http://www.researchlearningcenter.org/bloom/mobile/species/Cheilanthes
_covillei.htm © Project SOUND

72. Goldenback/Silverback Ferns –
Pentagramma triangularis
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College
© Project SOUND

73. Goldenback/Silverback Ferns –
Pentagramma triangularis
 Silverback Fern (ssp.
triangularis)
 Much of CA except desert
 Shaded slopes, rocky areas,
north-facing surfaces such as
cliff faces and thin, rocky soils
ssp. triangularis
 Goldenback Fern (ssp. viscosa)
 South Coast, Channel Islands
from San Diego Co. to Santa
Barbara Co.
ssp. viscosa
 Generally shaded, dry wooded or
grassy lower slopes slopes;
coastal sage scrub, chaparral,
coastal habitats
© Project SOUND

74. © Project SOUND
http://groups.ucanr.org/slosson/documents/2005-200610654.pdf

75. Pentagramma ferns
are quite petite…..
 Size:
 4-12 in. tall
 4-12 in. wide
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
ssp. triangularis (Goldenback Fern)  Growth form:
 Roughly triangular shaped
 Several fronds per plant
 Dry up completely in
summer dry period
 Foliage:
 Typical for fern
 Waxy gold or silver
secretions on back
Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences
ssp. viscosa (Silverback Fern) © Project SOUND

76. Pentagramma ferns are well suited to dry
shady places in the garden
 Soils:
 Texture: sandy or rocky best;
must be well-drained
 pH: lower pH better (true for
most ferns)
 Light: shade or filtered sun
 Water:
 Winter: moist soils
 Summer: Zone 1 or 1-2; needs
summer dormancy
 Fertilizer: none
© Project SOUND
http://desertmuseum.org/programs/ifnm_ferngallery.htm
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/goldbackfern.html

77. http://www.csuchico.edu/biol/Herb/curator/bidwell_park_01-01-05/Bidwell_Park_1-1-05.htm
© Project SOUND

78. Pentagramma ferns
in the garden
 Under oaks and other
summer-dry trees & shrubs
 On Zone 1-2 grassy slopes
http://www.csuchico.edu/biol/Herb/curator/bidwell_park_01-01-05/Bidwell_Park_1-1-05.htm
 In rock gardens and fern
gardens
 Would do well as a container
plant
 Native Californian’s used
plant as a painkiller for
toothache
http://www.hillkeep.ca/ferns.htm
© Project SOUND

79. Consider creative ways to use ferns with
different water/light requirements
http://www.andrewu.ca/?p=340
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ferntastic-Nursery/426362080592
© Project SOUND

80. California Polypody- Polypodium californicum
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Polypodium-californicum/
© Project SOUND

81. California Polypody- Polypodium californicum
 The Polypodiales:
 The major lineage of polypod fern, which
comprise more than 80% of today's fern
species.
 Often found growing on walls and tree
trunks where it can catch more light.
 Are found in many parts of the world
including tropical, semitropical and
temperate areas.
 Are one of the most advanced orders of
ferns, based on recent genetic analysis.
They arose and diversified a mere 100
million years ago, probably subsequent to
the flowering plants
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500975
 P. californicum is only found on the CA
coastal region
© Project SOUND

82. California Polypody in nature
 Northern sea cliffs and
coastal bluffs
 Soil on rocky slopes
 Shaded canyons
 Streambanks
 N-facing slopes
 Shaded roadcuts
 Rocks and rocky ledges,
often granitic or volcanic
 Moist banks and seeps
http://www.davidlnelson.md/Cazadero/Ferns.htm
© Project SOUND

83. Characteristics of CA Polypody
 Size: 20” tall; individual plants ≈ 25”
wide – but often grow in spreading
clumps
 Leaves:
 Simple for fern – many leaflets with
serrated edges
 Drought deciduous – dies back in
summer
 No flowers: Sporangia are grouped in
round sori on the underside of the
leaflets.
 Rhizomes (underground
stems) – relatively slow-
spreading
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/californiapolypody.html
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/plants/s
dpls/plants/Polypodium_californi
© Project SOUND
cum.html

84. Growth requirements: not your eastern fern
 Sun: part-shade to full shade; can
tolerate full sun only right along
coast, with adequate water
 Soils:
 Any well-drained
 Does not tolerate alkali soils
 Water:
 Moist in winter-spring – even
tolerates flooding
http://www.davidlnelson.md/Cazadero/Ferns.htm  Gradually reduce water for
summer/fall dormancy – must have
Probably the easiest local dormant period
fern for the garden;
 Nutrients: probably benefits from
location is everything
organic mulch; not a “big eater”
© Project SOUND

85. Polypody in the South Bay garden
 Bank cover on North-facing
slopes
 On north sides of buildings
 Delicate, small scale fern for
foreground rock walls
 In mossy (wet) rock gardens
http://www.baynatives.com/plants/Polypodium-californicum/
 Excellent under oaks
 In shaded beds
 In a “fern dell” – needs it’s
Easy to propagate by divisions summer drought so place
appropriately
© Project SOUND

86. 9 Easy (if you are patient) Steps:Growing Ferns:
 1) You will need a clear plastic container (supermarkets cake container). This will
ensure high humidity.
 2) The potting soil must be good quality not a generic brand - very important.

 3) After putting the soil in the container dampen it. It should feel like the humus
soil you would feel in an oak forest. Not too damp not too dry. To kill bacteria and
fungal spores place the container in a microwave oven and heat for 3-5 minutes
(until it is steaming pretty good). Be careful, too long and the container will begin
to melt. Then let the soil cool for about an hour.
 4) Sprinkle the spores on top of the soil , just enough so that you can see some
of the powdery spores wafting down and put the container near a window. Up
close for a north facing window, back a foot or so for south facing window
(reverse this in the Southern Hemisphere).
 5) Wait. It will be 6-8 weeks until you see anything. Then you will see small flat
leaflike plants, "prothallia" that will grow to about 3/8 inches across. If there are
a lot growing close together they must be thinned out to about 1 or 2 per 3" area.
If not they will only grow male organs. During this time make sure the potting soil
in the container does not dry out.. You should check the soil every week or so.
© Project SOUND

87. Nine Easy (if you are patient) Steps for
Growing Ferns:
 6) When the Prothallia get to 3/8" it will grow male and female organs. The
male organ will make sperm which will swim to the female part and fertilize
the egg. The egg will then grow into the fern plant that we see, called the
"Sporophyte". During this time the prothallia should be sprinkled with water
so that the sperm will be able to swim to the egg.
 7) After another 6-8 weeks you will see little ferns come up; the first frond
will be about 1/2" tall. Thin them out so they are about 3" apart.
 8) In the spring give them a long time to adjust to the dry outside air by
opening the top of your container a little bit each day. The open time should
increase more and more for two weeks. If they look bad, close it up again
until they recover, then try again. This is where I lose the most ferns; they
have a hard time adjusting.
 9) Plant them in a mostly shady spot, but not too shady. They are very fussy
so keep an eye on them quite frequently for the first year.
© Project SOUND

88. Bird’s Foot Cliffbrake – Pellaea mucronata
© 2010 Barry Breckling
© Project SOUND

89. Bird’s Foot Cliffbrake – Pellaea mucronata
 Mostly foothills and
mountain slopes in CA; also
parts of OR, NV, AZ &
Baja
 Throughout cismontane
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&ta
xon_id=233500883
California and
ssp. mucronata occasional on the deserts
mostly below 6000‘ –
locally on Catalina & San
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?92,122,127
Clemente Isl. and in Santa
Monica Mtns.
 Grows in various types of
dry & rocky places
© Project SOUND
W.L. Wagner @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

90. You might not recognize Pellea mucronata
as being a fern
 Size:
 ~ 1 ft tall
 1+ ft wide; creeping
 Growth form:
 Open and erect
 Stipe rather thin, dark
 Foliage:
 Pinnae rounded to linear
 Green to blue-green
 Drought-deciduous (or age to
brown)
 Roots: relatively short rhizomes
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-
california/plants/pellaea-mucronata © Project SOUND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellaea_mucronata

91. © 2008 Keir Morse
© 2004 James M. Andre
© Project SOUND
© 2005 Michelle Cloud-Hughes

92. Ferns of dry places require
unusual adaptations to
accomplish reproduction
 Sori: oblong or linearly
joined, submarginal
 Indusium: false,
inrolled margins,
covering the entire
lower surface
 Sporangia: pale brown,
maturity.
© 2005 James M. Andre
© 2008 Keir Morse © Project SOUND
http://www.answers.com/topic/dudleya

93. Pellea: one tough fern  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained
 pH: any local (pH to 8.0)
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Light shade probably optimal
 Water:
 Winter: good winter rains
 Summer: Zone 2 or 2-3 the
first summer – then quite
drought tolerant (Zone 1 to 2)
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: can be tricky to
establish, but tough as nails after
first year
http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/pellaea-mucronata
© Project SOUND

94. Mother Nature’s prescription: plenty of sun
 Great for hot spots in
the garden
 Fine in a sunny rock
garden/ rockery
 In gravel; among rocks
 On a hot, dry slope
 In/in front of a sunny
stone wall
© 2010 Neal Kramer
© Project SOUND

95. Coffee Fern – Pellaea andromedifolia
http://www.coestatepark.com/pellaea_andromedifolia_coe.htm
© Project SOUND

96. Coffee Fern is well suited to dry shade…
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Light shade to part shade
 Does particularly well in bright
shade under trees
 Water:
 Winter: good winter rains
 Summer: moderate (Zone 2 or
even 2-3)
 Fertilizer: leaf mulch best
http://www.coestatepark.com/pellaea_andromedifolia_coe.htm
© Project SOUND

97. We end our journey
to the fabulous
world of ferns
 History – long
http://images.travelpod.com/users/vayacondios/1.1277902037.there-was-a-fabulous-fernery.jpg
 Unique adaptations to
life on dry land
 How they reproduce
 Their use in the garden
 The unique ferns of CA
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lSc5eUUfA64/TPCjnuhtelI/AAAAAAAAD_4/5WpKBlxbzVo/s400/IMG_3203.JPG
© Project SOUND

98. http://easttexasgardening.tamu.edu/homegardens/Shade/p7hg_img_1/fullsize/holly_fern_fs.jpg
http://www.growingforyou.com/images/944_FernGarden.jpg
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=fern+garden+design&view=detail&id=0494E3842EB5549B0F0009658ED
© Project SOUND
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SURKoZUIukM/R_ZdXgG8w2I/AAAAAAAACA8/y7aDJtqSZn4/s640/ 4A3204039022E&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR
Minnesota+2012.jpg

99. http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/17/67/176794_7793975d.jpg
A glorious English fernery © Project SOUND