Most people strut past them in the forest without thinking. But the world of ferns is incredibly exciting! There is not just one fern, but numerous different species and varieties that can be interesting for garden and pot cultivation.
What types of ferns are there?
There are over 12,000 species of ferns worldwide, which are characterized by their reproduction using spores, shady location preferences and pinnate leaves. The most well-known include bracken fern, worm fern, striped fern, king fern and deer's tongue fern. Ferns are popular as garden plants and houseplants.
More than 12,000 species
Around 12,000 species of ferns are common around the world. Most representatives can be found in the tropics. But there are also many species in Europe. There are around 170 pieces.
Features that all ferns have in common
Whether bracken fern, worm fern, striped fern, royal fern, deer's tongue fern, oak fern, beech fern, spotted fern, thorn fern, all fern species belong to the vascular spore plants. They produce neither flowers nor fruits. They reproduce using their spores, which are usually found on the underside of their leaves.
Furthermore, the majority of ferns love shady and moist locations. Their natural occurrence includes forests, rock crevices, bank areas and cracks in walls. Due to the location requirements being easy to meet, many gardeners plant ferns in their green patch. Ferns are also popular as houseplants.
Other characteristics that the majority of ferns have in common are:
- weakly to highly toxic
- more or less green foliage
- Structure: root, shoot axis, leaves (exception: tree ferns)
- feathery leaves
Small, medium and large fern species
The small fern species grow between 10 and 30 cm high. They are ideal as ground cover, for example under conifers and for greening rock gardens. These include, among others, the wall rue, the brown striped fern, the Tierra del Fuego fern (a 10 cm high rib fern) and the writing fern.
Medium-sized fern species grow to a height of between 40 and 80 cm. They are cuddly on roadsides, under tall shrubs such as trees and in beds. Representatives of this size category include the ostrich fern and the common worm fern with its triple pinnate fronds. The large fern species reach heights of up to 2 m. These include the tree fern, highly poisonous bracken and the king fern.
Interesting varieties for the garden
Gardeners looking for something special can even find it in ferns. There are lots of cultivars that look unusual and attract attention:
- ‘Ursula in Red’: red and silver-gray shimmering fronds
- 'Silver Falls': silvery-white fronds with red midrib
- 'Purpurascens': copper-red fronds
- ‘Gracilis’: dwarf variety with great autumn colors
- 'Plumosum Densum': bronze-green, slightly curled fronds
- ‘Brilliance’: copper-orange fronds
The most popular indoor fern species
All indoor fern species need a shady location and care. Here is a selection:
- Sword fern: single pinnate
- Nest fern: 100 cm high
- Staghorn fern: fronds up to 1 m long
- Maidenhair fern: 50 to 100 cm high, delicate fronds
- Goldspot fern: 60 cm long fronds, heavily pinnate
- Rib fern: 100 cm long fronds with wavy feathers
- Shield fern: triangular fronds, up to 25 cm long
Tips & Tricks
The hare's foot fern is drought tolerant. It copes well with dry heating air in the living room.
