# 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! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 31 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![interrupted fern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Osmunda_claytoniana_JSG.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0 ca · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Osmunda_claytoniana_JSG.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Polypodiopsida - **Order:** Osmundales - **Family:** Osmundaceae - **Genus:** Claytosmunda ## 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 - **Spore Shooter:** The interrupted fern can reproduce by releasing tiny spores from special segments on its fronds, allowing it to spread far and wide. - **Fiddlehead Feast:** This fern has young, curled fronds called fiddleheads that are edible when cooked, providing a tasty snack for humans. - **Sun Screen:** 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 - **Shelter:** [Spotted Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-salamander) (*Ambystoma maculatum*) — finds moist cover beneath its fronds - **Shelter:** [Eastern Red-backed Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-red-backed-salamander) (*Plethodon cinereus*) — hides in the shade and dampness under its leaves - **Shelter:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — uses dense fern growth for cover from predators ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [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. - [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. ## 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 can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify interrupted 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 interrupted fern? 60-120 cm ### How wide does interrupted fern spread? 60-90 cm ### Is interrupted fern edible? Yes ### Is interrupted fern toxic? None ### What is interrupted fern's lifecycle? Perennial ### Where is interrupted fern usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Bixby State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bixby-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Catskill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/catskill-park) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Chesterfield Gorge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chesterfield-gorge) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Downtown Ossining Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-ossining-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Frelinghuysen Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/frelinghuysen-arboretum) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see interrupted fern](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/interrupted-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: [Interrupted Fern: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/interrupted-fern)