Spring Ferning

First New Fiddleheads!

Some people consider the start of Spring the sighting of certain birds, the flowering of daffodils & other early flowers, or the sound of Peepers and Wood Frogs in the Vernal Pools. For me and Randy, it is finding the first new fiddleheads of the season. They are what I call "Fragile Ferns" because that is shorter and what it used to be called. But Randy read a paper stating that most all the "Fragile" or "Brittle" Ferns in our area are actually a different species, Cystopteris tenuis, otherwise known as "Upland Brittle Bladder Fern" or "Mackay's Brittle Fern". They grow in cracks or gaps in the rocks or on rock ledges, seldom on the ground. They can also sometimes be found growing inbetween the large stone blocks of old railroad overpasses, as in this case.

They are the first fiddleheads we find in our area, although sometimes the Woodsias are close in timing. When we checked our special spot last week, the little brown knobs that will become the fiddleheads were just popping out of the ground. But today, there were lots of tiny new green fiddleheads, and even a tiny new fern frond. In the photo you can see the remains of the old stems and frond, the new little fiddleheads, the new little fern frond, and a penny for scale. As you can see, they are pretty tiny to start with, so it is helpful to know in advance some spots where they grow! But they are here, and for us, Spring is here too!

Welcome to Spring Ferns!

Posted: to PV Fern News on Fri, Mar 21, 2025
Updated: Fri, Mar 21, 2025