Ferns-A-Feast of Facinating Fronds

Who has not admired the lush, luxurious leaves of a fern, whether perched on a tree or covering the forest floor, or seemingly living on nothing growing from the cracks in a wall. They come in huge and microscopic sizes, and just about everything in between. Some are fragile, filmy miniatures that grow in large masses on the mossy boles of trees and boulders in deeply shaded moist forest. Others again are hardy species happily exposed to relentless heat and sun. Most, however, are partial to a good measure of  moisture and shade. Their main attraction is in their leaves that can be anything from simple to highly complex divided, even feathery, and it is no wonder why the name for this plant is derived from the old English term fearn, meaning feather. Ever-present in nature ferns are equally suitable for our gardens, parks, and even window sills as long they are given the right conditions.

Ferns and fern allies, or Pteridophytes botanically, belong to an ancient line of plants that appeared on this planet long before the first flowering plants evolved. Earliest fossil evidence of their presence dates back to the Late Silurian, more than 400 million years ago. They had their heyday during the Carboniferous period (350 - 275 mill. years ago). At that time our planet was still devoid of birds and mammals, and dinosaurs dominated the landscape together with ancestors of present-day ferns. Some of these plants could reach enormous heights of up to 40 metres. Towards the end of that period (280-300 mill. years ago) seed plants began to emerge and proved more competitive, eventually pushing ferns and allied horsetails and club mosses out of many of the habitats they had dominated. 

Taming the Wild Vegetable

Ferns are among the wild plant groups that are easiest to collect. Ferns can be collected all year round as young shoots and only leaves are harvested. Common wild ferns are found mostly in moist areas, particularly partially shaded riverbanks. Although most species prefer moist areas of river bottoms and wet fields, some are found on drier sites.