Finding Ferns 7.16.24

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Written by: Kelly Beaster

On a sunny weeknight, the Arrowhead Native Plant Explorers gathered at the southern end of Hartley to learn about ferns found on a small hiking loop along the west branch of Tischer Creek. The event partnered with Hartley Nature Center and was led by ANPE board officers. Members learned about some of the characteristics that make ferns so unique, including that these nonflowering, vascular plants are ancient beings that have remained nearly the same since the permian and triassic periods (Smith, 2023). Fossils show records of Osmunda specimens, like interrupted, royal, and cinnamon ferns from more than 200 million years ago that look virtually the same as our current day species. 

Sensitive fern (left), named for its sensitivity to frost, and ostrich fern (right) with fronds shaped like a feather. Both species are related and produce a separate fertile frond that persists through the winter, rather than having spores produced on the undersides of leaflets, like many of the other ferns.

Explorers learned some of the specialized terminology used on ferns, like rachis, pinna, and sori. ANPE found 10 species on their short walk: interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana), sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), wood fern (Dryopteris carthusiana), oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris), beach fern (Phegopteris connectilis), rock fern (Polypodium virginianum), and bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). ANPE President, Kelly developed a handout to help beginners learn some of the tips to identify the common species of ferns likely to be found in any park in Duluth. You can access the handout here. Lady and wood fern were found to be challenging to tell apart, but a quick check of the stem can reveal either papery brown scales on a wood fern or narrow, black scales on a lady fern. 

Many species of ferns were found along the boardwalk on the way to West Tischer Creek (left). Lady ferns are very long-lived and tenacious species that also work great in a shade garden (right).

With the help of Welby Smith’s “Ferns and Lycophytes of Minnesota”, members learned that many species of ferns are incredibly long lived. Often one individual colony can be more than a century old! The next time you spot a fern, take a moment to marvel at the simplicity of the fern’s strategy that has allowed it to thrive on Earth for so long. No elaborate flowers to attract pollinating insects, just a spore and eager rhizomes to out compete other vegetation around them. 

Common rock fern was observed growing on the rocky ravine, but was difficult to access due to the very steep slope into the ravine.

To learn more about ferns, ANPE recommends “Ferns and Lycophytes of Minnesota” by Welby Smith.

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