 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Oak Fern
Photos by Allen Philips 9-28-07
Oak fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
This species colonizes the older forest floor in a fashion similar to Trillium. It lives in the thick organic surface soil/duff and is deciduous.
During fall the leaves cover the floor, but in springtime, the fern pushes itself through the moss and leaf litter perhaps 4-12" above. They
grow on a very thin black stalk and create a small triangular shield. The tolerate low light levels and dryer summer periods better than most other ferns
and thereby keep a small successful nitch. Oak Ferns were not common but naturally occuring at the Tree Garden.
updated 9/1/2007 by Allen Philips