Winter Ferns 2024-2025

Christmas Fern

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is one of our Top Ten Easy Common Ferns, and I expect you all know it well! But of course I have to use it for this news article, as we celebrate Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, and Christmas. The reason for its name is explained in various texts as being because of its glossy green "holly-like" leaves, which were used by early New England settlers for Christmas decorations. And this holiday theme is carried further in the identification tip of the mature pinnae with their "ears" looking like sleighs or Christmas stockings, depending on which way you look at them. They are found in woodlands and rocky slopes throughout the Northeast, and the eastern U.S.

They are distinctive enough in appearance, with their bright green leathery linear leaves and the fertile fronds with their much smaller pinnae at the top, to be able to identify them in the snow, as in this photo taken this week.

WIshing you all happy holiday celebrations.

Janice

12/23/24

Posted: to PV Fern News on Mon, Dec 23, 2024
Updated: Mon, Dec 23, 2024