Summer Ferns 2024

Grape Ferns are starting!

One of the events we look forward to each summer is the return of the Grape Ferns. Around here we pretty much have just the delicate Dissected Grape Ferns (Sceptridium dissectum), and I have been looking often now in our usual places to find them. We have seen a few at one spot on Mt Toby, and another at a conservation area in Belchertown (which has hundreds in a good year). So far very little evidence of them coming up.

The robust looking plant in the photo is a new Leathery Grape Fern (Sceptridium multifidum). We had photos from last year at this time showing them up and going strong, so we made the trek to central Vermont to see them. They are supposed to be throughout the Northeast and into eastern PA, but we have not been able to find them anywhere in our area yet. Once you have seen one in person there is no mistaking them. They are our region's largest grape fern. They are much thicker stemmed and leaved than the grape ferns we have locally, and the fertile fronds are very robust. These were not as big yet this year as last, but it was surprising how the whole plant comes out strong, the fertile and sterile leaves seem to develop together. The sterile leaves are thick and leathery and survive green overwinter. Some of the plants still had the old yellowed leaves at their base, but most were gone now. This one is actually only about 5" tall, but is very stout. Some were only a couple inches high, but already had their sporophores out as well. They were growing on a very sunny dry site, but are supposed to be found not only in sand barrens, but in openings of oak and pine woods, along old roads and in meadows and lawns. Please let us know if you think you have found some. We would love to see some locally!

By the way, our next Fern Walk will be Sunday August 18th from 1-3pm. We are still deciding on which location, but I have added the general information to the website calendar.

Posted: to PV Fern News on Mon, Aug 5, 2024
Updated: Tue, Aug 6, 2024