# ebony spleenwort (*Asplenium platyneuron*)

The ebony spleenwort is a small, delicate fern that loves to grow in shady spots. Its dark green leaves are shaped like feathers, making it look very pretty in nature.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 43
- **Habitat:** Forests

![ebony spleenwort](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/136411509/medium.jpg)

Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by Becky Dill, CC0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/136411509)

## Appearance

The ebony spleenwort has distinctive dark, purplish-brown stems, resembling polished ebony, contrasting sharply with its narrow, bright green fronds. Its pinnae (leaflets) are alternate near the base and opposite higher up, giving it a ladder-like appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Polypodiopsida
- **Order:** Polypodiales
- **Family:** Aspleniaceae
- **Genus:** Asplenium

## Interesting facts

- Instead of seeds, this fern reproduces using microscopic spores that float on the wind.
- Its unusual name, "spleenwort," hints at ancient medicinal beliefs about the plant.
- The lower part of its stem is so dark and shiny, it looks like polished ebony wood!
- This tough fern can even grow on old brick walls or mossy rocks!

## Special abilities

- **Resilient Root Anchor:** Ebony spleenwort can grip onto tiny rock crevices, allowing it to thrive where most plants cannot find soil.
- **Wind-Borne Travelers:** Ebony spleenwort releases tiny spores that are carried by the wind, helping it spread to new, often distant habitats.
- **Winter Greenery:** The ebony spleenwort often keeps its green fronds through winter, allowing it to photosynthesize when other plants are dormant.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 10-30 cm
- **Spread:** 10-25 cm
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Occasionally browsed by deer, though not a primary food source.
- **Symbiotic with:** Creeping Feather Moss (*Amblystegium serpens*) — Often grows alongside mosses on rocks, sharing moisture and habitat.
- **Shelter:** Silky Ant (*Formica subsericea*) — Ants might find shelter among its dense fronds and rocky crevices.

## Traits

- [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not touch plants without asking an adult, as some may not be safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify ebony spleenwort?

Compare frond shape, how the leaflets are arranged, the stalk, and any spore clusters you can see. A single detached leaflet often hides the plant's overall growth pattern. Fern Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is ebony spleenwort?

10-30 cm

### How wide does ebony spleenwort spread?

10-25 cm

### Is ebony spleenwort edible?

No

### Is ebony spleenwort toxic?

None

### What is ebony spleenwort's lifecycle?

Perennial

### Where is ebony spleenwort usually found?

Forests

## Where to spot

- [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve
- [Blackbird State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackbird-state-forest) — Delaware, US · Forest
- [Brett Woods Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brett-woods-open-space) — Connecticut, US · Park
- [Central Shelby Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-shelby-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District
- [Columbia Historic District I](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/columbia-historic-district-i) — South Carolina, US · Historic District
- [Downtown Ossining Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-ossining-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District

[View all places to see ebony spleenwort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ebony-spleenwort)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Ebony Spleenwort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ebony-spleenwort)