interrupted fern

Osmunda claytoniana

The interrupted fern is a beautiful plant with fronds that look like they have been cut. It grows in shady, moist places and is fun to find in the wild!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The interrupted fern has tall, arching green fronds that grow in a vase-like clump. Its unique feature is the brown, spore-bearing segments that appear in the middle of otherwise green fronds, looking like a missing piece.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassPolypodiopsidaOrderOsmundalesFamilyOsmundaceaeGenusClaytosmunda

interrupted fern

Interesting facts

It's a 'living fossil,' very similar to ferns that lived with dinosaurs!

Its name comes from the fertile frond sections that interrupt the leafy ones.

Some Indigenous peoples traditionally used parts of this fern for food and medicine.

This fern helps prevent soil erosion, especially on stream banks and hillsides.

Special abilities

The interrupted fern can reproduce by releasing tiny spores from special segments on its fronds, allowing it to spread far and wide.

This fern has young, curled fronds called fiddleheads that are edible when cooked, providing a tasty snack for humans.

Young fronds are covered in fuzzy, protective hairs that act like a natural sunscreen, shielding them from harsh sunlight.

Measurements & details

Height: 60-120 cm
Spread: 60-90 cm
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial

Ecological connections

shelters

Spotted Salamander

Ambystoma maculatum

finds moist cover beneath its fronds

shelters

Eastern Red-backed Salamander

Plethodon cinereus

hides in the shade and dampness under its leaves

shelters

Meadow Vole

Microtus pennsylvanicus

uses dense fern growth for cover from predators

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Spore Producing

Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

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.