# giant chain fern (*Woodwardia fimbriata*) The giant chain fern is a large, leafy plant that grows in shady, moist places. Its fronds can be very long and look like chains, making it a unique sight in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![giant chain fern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Woodwardiafimbriata.jpg&width=800) Photo: Anthony Valois and the National Park Service, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Woodwardiafimbriata.jpg) ## Appearance The giant chain fern has long, arching, bright green fronds that can tower over small plants. Its distinctive, leathery leaflets are deeply cut, and on their undersides, rows of chain-like spore cases (sori) give the fern its unique name. These impressive ferns create a lush, jungle-like feel. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Polypodiopsida - **Order:** Polypodiales - **Family:** Blechnaceae - **Genus:** Woodwardia ## Interesting facts - If a frond tip touches soil, it can sprout new roots and make a new plant! - Instead of seeds, giant chain ferns make millions of tiny, dust-like spores! - It's the largest native fern in California, growing up to eight feet! - This fern's amazing fronds can reach longer than a grown-up is tall! ## Special abilities - **Spore Power:** The giant chain fern has special chain-like sori on its fronds that help it effectively release and spread its tiny spores far and wide. - **Rhizome Resilience:** Giant chain ferns can spread underground using tough rhizomes, allowing them to form large colonies and regrow after disturbances. - **Frond-Tip Planters:** Its frond tips can root if they touch the soil, helping the fern create new baby plants without spores! ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 180-250 cm - **Spread:** 90-150 cm - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses young fronds occasionally - **Shelter:** [Pacific Tree Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-tree-frog) (*Pseudacris regilla*) — hides among its lush fronds - **Eats:** [Leopard Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard-slug) (*Limax maximus*) — grazes on the fern's fronds ## Traits - [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. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify giant chain fern? 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 giant chain fern? 180-250 cm ### How wide does giant chain fern spread? 90-150 cm ### Is giant chain fern edible? No ### Is giant chain fern toxic? None ### What is giant chain fern's lifecycle? Perennial ### Where is giant chain fern usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Benbow Lake State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/benbow-lake-state-recreation-area) — California, US · State Park - [Sonoma Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sonoma-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dunsmuir-botanical-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Yosemite Valley](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/yosemite-valley) — California, US · Natural Landmark [View all places to see giant chain fern](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/giant-chain-fern) ## 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*) --- Source: [Giant Chain Fern: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/giant-chain-fern)