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Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

Common
Name

Scientific
Name

Plant
Family

Garden
Location

Prime
Season
Northern Maidenhair Fern
Adiantum pedatum L.
Maidenhair Fern (Pteridaceae)
Woodland
Spring to early Autumn
Other names and notes
A very attractive fern recognized by the dark slender leaf stalks (stipes) and the horseshoe shape outline of the rachis bearing long, narrow pinnea (the feather-like leaf branches). The fronds are 3-pinnate (3 times divided). For spore production Maidenhairs have many pinnea with marginal spore cases protected by little inturned teeth - a false indusia formed by the folded edge of the pinnea. Spring fiddleheads are pink. They grow from a creeping rhizome and clumps should be divided when you can no longer see the individual form of the fronds. Easy to grow in the home garden, Maidenhair fern should have moist, neutral, humus-rich soil and partial to full shade. The genus name is from the Greek meaning "not to moisten" referring to the smoothness of the fronds causing moisture to always run off them.
Fern head
Fern Head
Above: The unfolding fiddleheads of spring. The stipes and rachis (stems and branches) turn black once the fronds form. Below: The fully developed form of summer.
 
Maidenhair Fern
  
Notes: This plant is indigenous to the Garden area. Eloise Butler catalogued it on May 25, 1907. Her records also show that she obtained 50 plant roots of this species on Aug. 9, 1923 in order to "dispossess wood nettle." Martha Crone planted 6 in June 1933. It is native to the Minnesota woods in most counties of the eastern half of the state except the Arrowhead. In North American its range is east of the lower Missouri River and east of the Mississippi River (exc. Florida) and in the Canadian provinces from Ontario eastward. It is also found in Alaska.  
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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.  
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