Monday, January 5, 2015

Oak Fern

Gymnocarpium appalachianum ( Appalachian Oak Fern )
A small perennial fern, native to the Appalachian region of the eastern U.S. ( from northeast Ohio to south-central Pennsylvania; south to North Carolina ). It is now extinct in Ohio where is was confirmed to be native to Wayne and Geuga Counties and likely elsewhere to the east. Deforestation and a warming summers are likely the cause of its extinction in Ohio where it was last seen in 1908. It is critically endangered in North Carolina and Pennsylvania where it is found in Bedford County and extinct in Blair County. Endangered in West Virginia and Virginia. It is native to hilly sugar maple - yellow birch - hemlock forests on cool, moist north facing slopes at above 2000 feet elevation. It is often found growing on moist sandstone.
The triangular fronds are up to 6 inches in length. The foliage is bright green.

Gymnocarpium dryopteris
A rhizomatous perennial, reaching up to 1 foot in height, that is a widespread native to temperate regions of Eurasia and North America ( from near Nome, Alaska to far northern Yukon to Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories to The Pas, Manitoba to Moosonee, Ontario to central Quebec to Newfoundland & Labrador; south to Oregon to Montana to South Dakota to northern Iowa to central Ohio to Maryland ). It is found in coniferous or mixed woodland in the wild. It has declined considerably in southern Ontario; common around Windsor before 1900.
The deciduous, broad-triangular fronds, up to 10 inches in length, are bright green.
Hardy zones 1 to 7 in partial to full shade on moist, cool, humus-rich, acidic soil.

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.