# northern maidenhair fern (*Adiantum pedatum*) The northern maidenhair fern is a beautiful plant with delicate, fan-shaped leaves. It loves to grow in shady, moist places and adds a touch of green to forests and gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 27 - **Habitat:** Forests ![northern maidenhair fern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Adiantum_pedatum_%28northern_maidenhair_fern%29%252C_Willsboro%252C_NY_%2832127843596%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Doug McGrady from Warwick, RI, USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adiantum_pedatum_%28northern_maidenhair_fern%29%252C_Willsboro%252C_NY_%2832127843596%29.jpg) ## Appearance The northern maidenhair fern has delicate, bright green, fan-shaped leaflets arranged on distinctive shiny, black, wiry stems that resemble fine hair. Its fronds are circular to semicircular, creating a unique layered umbrella effect that sets it apart from other ferns. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Polypodiopsida - **Order:** Polypodiales - **Family:** Pteridaceae - **Genus:** Adiantum ## Interesting facts - Ancient peoples sometimes used this fern to make a sweet syrup to help with colds! - Instead of flowers, maidenhair ferns make tiny dust-like spores to create new plants. - Its name 'maidenhair' comes from its thin, black stems that look like shiny human hair! - This fern can grow sideways and even upside down on cliffs and rock faces! ## Special abilities - **Spore Sprinter:** northern maidenhair fern reproduces using tiny spores instead of seeds, which helps it spread easily in moist, shady places. - **Water-Shedding Shield:** northern maidenhair fern's fronds naturally repel water, keeping its delicate leaves dry and healthy in very damp conditions. - **Wired for Wind:** This fern has strong, dark, wiry stems that help it stand upright and resist bending, even in windy spots. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-60 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer may browse its tender fronds. - **Eaten by:** Red slug (*Arion rufus*) — Slugs and snails feed on the delicate leaves. - **Shelter:** [Eastern Hemlock](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-hemlock) (*Tsuga canadensis*) — Thrives in the cool, moist shade provided by these trees. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [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. - [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, as some can be delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify northern maidenhair 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 northern maidenhair fern? 30-60 cm ### How wide does northern maidenhair fern spread? 30-60 cm ### Is northern maidenhair fern edible? No ### Is northern maidenhair fern toxic? None ### What is northern maidenhair fern's lifecycle? Perennial ### Where is northern maidenhair fern usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Ashton Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashton-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bear Swamp](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-swamp) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Belltown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belltown-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Bixby State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bixby-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackhand-gorge-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see northern maidenhair fern](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/northern-maidenhair-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: [Northern Maidenhair Fern: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-maidenhair-fern)