Champion Species: Hard-fern

Blechnum spicant

Did you Know?

Hard-fern is a hardy evergreen fern that can be found in the National Landscape’s ancient and Atlantic oak woodlands. It is sometimes called 'deer fern' as deer eat it in winter. It is found in damp, shady gorges, on banks, rocks, and walls. It is easy to spot with feather like leathery foliage with spotty undersides. These turn orange/brown when the spores are ready to erupt. It is not under threat and is a good indicator of Atlantic oak woodlands. It can be bought in garden centres and planted in gardens.

Fun Fact:

Hard-fern or Blechnum spicant - the name spicant comes from the Latin word ‘spico’ which is translated as ‘furnished with spikes’.

Identification:

Hard fern is a hardy evergreen fern. It can grow 45–60cm tall and 45–90cm wide, and remains green and fertile for most of the year.

The fronds are single pinnate, which means that the individual leaflets the frond is divided into, known as the pinnae, aren’t further divided. They grow directly opposite each other on the stem which gives them a herringbone appearance. They taper in at both the tip and the bottom of the stem.

Web link:

Woodland Trust