Blechnum spicant

Description

Blechnum spicant (also known as Struthiopteris spicant, hard fern or deer fern) is a charming evergreen fern in the family Blechnaceae, prized for its dual‑leaf habit and neat, architectural growth.

🌿 Appearance & Growth Habit

• Forms a tidy, tufted clump from a short, stout, scaly rhizome. Fronds are deeply pinnatifid with a leathery texture.

• Sterile fronds: arching, flat, wavy‑edged, 30–60 cm long, radiating outward in a rosette.

• Fertile fronds: emerge upright from the center in summer, taller and narrower, bearing two rows of sori on the undersides; these wither after spore released.

• Overall size: typically 45–60 cm tall and wide, occasionally up to 90 cm in ideal conditions.

🏡 Ecology & Native Range

• Native across Europe, western Asia, North Africa, and western North America, from southern Alaska to California and the Cascades.

• Thrives in moist, shady woodlands, along streams, wet heaths, and rocky slopes, often indicating ancient woodland.

🌱 Cultivation & Uses

• Hardiness: survives down to –20 °C (USDA zones 4–8).

• Prefers moist, acidic, well‑drained soil and dappled to full shade; tolerates light sun in cooler climates.

• Recognized by the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

• Low‑maintenance, deer and rabbit resistant, pest‑free—ideal for shade gardens, borders, containers.

🌾 Reproduction & Lifecycle

• Spreads via spores released in summer (June–August), with sori protected by narrow indusia.

• Propagation through spores or dividing clumps in spring.

🧠 Fun Facts & Traditional Uses

• The epithet spicant likely refers to its spike‑like fertile fronds.

• Historically, fronds were chewed to suppress hunger and thirst; rhizomes used as emergency starch or medicinal remedies.

• A traditional remedy in Pacific Northwest cultures; deer also rub antler stubs on it.

📸 Photo Highlights

• Image 1: Classic dome of leathery sterile fronds with central fertile spikes.

• Image 2: Detailed look at erect fertile fronds with sori rows.

• Image 3: Garden setting showcasing texture and form in shaded beds.

• Image 4: Close-up of unfurling fiddleheads and fertile fronds.

In summary: Blechnum spicant is a hardy, evergreen, shade-loving fern with striking architectural form, low maintenance, wildlife resistance, and a rich history in traditional uses. It adds elegance and texture to woodland-style landscapes and is well-suited to cooler climates.