# maidenhair spleenwort (*Asplenium trichomanes*) Maidenhair spleenwort is a lovely little fern that grows in cool, shady places. Its delicate, fan-shaped leaves are bright green and look like tiny feathers! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Forests ![maidenhair spleenwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Asplenium_trichomanes_subsp._trichomanes_001.jpg&width=800) Photo: Johan N, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asplenium_trichomanes_subsp._trichomanes_001.jpg) ## Appearance The maidenhair spleenwort is a small, elegant fern distinguished by its slender, dark reddish-brown stems that provide a striking contrast to the round, bright green leaflets arranged neatly along them. Its delicate fronds often grow in tight, charming rosettes, clinging to rocky surfaces. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Polypodiopsida - **Order:** Polypodiales - **Family:** Aspleniaceae - **Genus:** Asplenium ## Interesting facts - Instead of seeds, it creates invisible, dust-like spores to travel and grow new ferns! - Its dark, shiny stems were once used by children to make tiny, pretend dolls or figures! - Some people call it 'Wall Rue' because it loves to grow out of cracks in old stone walls! - Wow! This little fern can cling to rocks for over 100 years, growing in the same spot! ## Special abilities - **Crack Climber:** Maidenhair spleenwort can anchor itself securely in tiny rock crevices using tough, fibrous roots that help it thrive where other plants cannot. - **Spore Sprinter:** This fern has tiny, dust-like spores on the underside of its leaves, which can be carried by wind to colonize new, distant rocky homes. - **Drought Defender:** The maidenhair spleenwort can curl its fronds tight during dry spells to save water, unrolling them again when moisture returns. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Spanish slug (*Arion lusitanicus*) — This slug may occasionally graze on its fronds. - **Eaten by:** common garden snail (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails can sometimes feed on the fern's delicate leaves. ## Traits - [Nonvascular](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nonvascular): This trait characterizes plants lacking specialized vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients. - [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. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [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 Always look but don't touch wild plants unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify maidenhair 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 maidenhair spleenwort? 5-30 cm ### How wide does maidenhair spleenwort spread? 10-20 cm ### Is maidenhair spleenwort edible? No ### Is maidenhair spleenwort toxic? None ### What is maidenhair spleenwort's lifecycle? Perennial ### Where is maidenhair spleenwort usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Fota Wildlife Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fota-wildlife-park) — Municipal District of Cobh, IE · Zoo - [Cato Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cato-hill-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Crystal Grottoes](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crystal-grottoes) — Maryland, US · Natural Landmark - [Aquarium of Niagara](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aquarium-of-niagara) — New York, US · Aquarium - [Aquarium of Niagara](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aquarium-of-niagara-new-york) — New York, US · Zoo [View all places to see maidenhair spleenwort](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/maidenhair-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*) --- Source: [Maidenhair Spleenwort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/maidenhair-spleenwort)