Winter Ferns 2025-2026

Evergreen & Marginal Wood Ferns

Two of the most common ferns you will see in our woods in winter are the Evergreen Wood Fern (Dryopteris intermedia) and Marginal Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis). Wood Ferns are common in our area, with seven species found on our walks (Evergreen, Marginal, Crested, Clinton's, Goldie's, Mountain, Spinulose). To add to the challenge of identification, Wood Ferns also hybridize. We have identified at least five listed hybrids so far! Both Evergreen and Marginal Wood Ferns are found in wooded areas, but Marginal are usually found in rocky areas and Evergreen can be found in wetlands as well,

Both Evergreen and Marginal Wood Ferns are medium-sized ferns growing in symmetric clumps. They often grow in the same area, but there are some easy ways to differentiate them. The photo shows the Marginal Wood Fern on the left and the Evergreen Wood Fern on the right. The Evergreen fern is broader than the Marginal, and from this distance you can see the difference in the pinnae or leaflets. Pinnules are the pairs of subleaflets on the pinnae. They are only "twice-cut" on the Marginal but "thrice-cut" on the Evergreen. This means that the margins of the Marginal Wood Fern pinnules are smooth, while the margins of the Evergreen Wood Fern pinnules are toothed and look much lacier. Sorry for all the technical terms, it is hard sometimes to find simpler words! What it comes down to is the finer cut, more lacy appearance of the Evergreen Wood Ferns.

I can only do one photo on a news article, so I will send you another photo soon with a closeup of the smooth and lacier pinnules. If you want to see a comparison now, you can scroll back through these news articles to the "Winter Ferns 2023-2024 Evergreen & Marginal Wood Ferns # 2&3". The photo shows a comparison of the sori (fruit dots) patterns on the Marginal and Evergreen pinnules, and also the difference in the pinnule margins. The sori patterns are another easy way to differentiate these two ferns. The Marginal sori are located along the outer margins of the pinnules, while the Evergreen sori are located in the middle of the pinnules. There are a few other ways to differentiate these two ferns, but the margins of the pinnules and the sori pattern are enough!

We hope you are enjoying the outdoors this winter,and still able to find some ferns not buried in the snow! There are nice clubmosses out there too, which I will describe soon.

Posted: to PV Fern News on Sat, Jan 10, 2026
Updated: Sat, Jan 10, 2026