Summary ²

Onoclea sensibilis, the sensitive fern, also known as the bead fern, is a coarse-textured, medium to large-sized deciduous perennial fern. The name comes from the observation by early American settlers that it was very sensitive to frost, the fronds dying quickly when first touched by it. It is sometimes treated as the only species in Onoclea, but some authors do not consider the genus monotypic.

Description ³

Family:
Dryopteridaceae (Wood Fern)

Height:
1 to 2 feet

Leaves:
Leaves (12-30” tall) are light green, consisting of 8-12 paired, oblong segments, each with many rounded teeth.

Spores:
Spores grow from 1 or more branching spikes emerging near the base of the plant. Spikes (8-20” tall) hold green, bead-like spores, which turn dark brown to black with maturity.

Bloom time:
July-December

Nicknames:
Bead Fern, Sympathy Fern

Habitat:
Sensitive Fern prefers partial shade; moist to wet, humid, sheltered conditions; and sandy or loamy, slightly acidic, organic-rich soils. It is commonly found in moist deciduous woodlands, thickets, wet meadows, swamps, lowland sandy savannas, forested bogs, edges of marshes, and low-lying, shaded areas along small streams and ponds.

Wildlife Benefits:
Food source for aphids, sawfly larvae, and moth larvae. Provides cover for songbirds and small mammals.

Can I plant this in my garden?
This species may be difficult to grow due to its rather specific habitat requirements, but given the correct soil type and adequate soil moisture levels, it can thrive in partially shaded areas. It is very susceptible to drought, and will require higher moisture levels in sunnier areas.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/fern/sensitive-fern
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/grasses/plants/sensitive_fern.htm
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/onoclea-sensibilis/

Range ³

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
2. Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onoclea_sensibilis
3. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online
• 日本のレッドデータ検索システム
• 植物和名−学名インデックス YList

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