Summer Ferns 2025

Grape Fern Fiddleheads!

We are at the end of July, deep into summer, and one might think that there is nothing new to see among the Ferns. But one of the joys of botany and especially Ferns are the continued new developments. Randy and I took a detour in Shelburne last weekend, and passed an old cemetery that we had not visited before. Cemeteries that are infrequently mowed and have a natural ground cover rather than lawn grass can provide the right conditions for Dissected Grape Ferns (Sceptridium dissectum). We are told other Grape Ferns may be found in some old cemeteries as well.

One of the interesting things about the Dissected Grape Ferns is they develop both their fertile and sterile fronds at the same time. In this photo you can see the fertile frond on the left and the smaller sterile one on the right. Based on this unexpected discovery of a couple dozen Dissected Grape Ferns in this one cemetery, it looks like it may be a good year for them. Most were more developed than this one, with both fronds out or almost completely out. They were all still pretty small (less than 3" tall), but will continue to grow several more inches in a good year. Sometimes Grape Ferns can be found growing along the edge of trails through woods and fields. Now is the time to be on the lookout for them!

We have a fern hike at Highland Park in Greenfield this Sunday from 1-3 pm. See calendar listing for more info and directions.

Posted: to PV Fern News on Fri, Jul 25, 2025
Updated: Fri, Jul 25, 2025