North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Adiantum pedatum

Adiantum pedatum L.

northern maidenhair

Image ID: 12270
Image by: Cressler, Alan M.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: ADPE
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Adiantum pedatum
Include in WOTAS: 0
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2018-09-16

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: ADIAN
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Adiantum
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Maidenhair fern
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of 150-200 species, nearly cosmopolitan.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Paris in FNA (1993b); Lu et al. (2011)=Z; Lin, Prado, & Gilbert in FoC (2013); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: PTERID
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Pteridaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: E.D.M. Kirchner 1831
FAMILY COMMON: Maidenhair Fern Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 40 genera and about 1000 species. Here circumscribed to include Vittariaceae (see Smith et al. 2006). This family may be further subdivided, into families Adiantaceae (Adiantum, Vittaria), Sinopteridaceae (Myriopteris, Notholaena, Astrolepis, Pellaea), Cryptogrammaceae (Cryptogramma), Pteridaceae (Pteris), and Parkeriaceae (Acrostichum, Ceratopteris).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Grusz & Windham (2013); Lellinger (1985); Windham in FNA (1993b); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Crane (1997). {add for FL: Acrostichum aureum, Adiantum melanoleucum, Adiantum villosum, Pityrogramma trifoliata, Pteris bahamensis, Pteris grandifolia, Pteris plumula}

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Northern maidenhairâ€™s delicate, 8-20 in. fronds, with dark, shiny stems, spread their pinnae horizontally in a nearly perfect circle. This graceful, fan-like pattern is unique among native ferns. The fronds arise from a creeping rootstock in clusters. Burgundy red fiddleheads appear in early spring. The roots are wiry and black, colonizing in favorable sites.
STEMS:
LEAVES:
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS:
FRUITS:
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 1-2 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb, Fern

LEAF ARRANGEMENT:
LEAF COMPLEXITY:
LEAF RETENTION: Deciduous

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY:
BLOOM TIME: Not Applicable

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
					x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR:

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
											x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE: eastern North America

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: One of our loveliest native ferns, Northern maidenhair adds its graceful beauty to the shade garden. Despite its delicate appearance, it performs well throughout our hot summers. In the mountain and piedmont counties of the Southeastern United States, this species thrives on the humus-rich soil of old-growth forests and on shady slopes that are moist but well-drained. Mix compost and a little lime into soil before planting. Northern maidenhair also does well when planted in a large container. The black leaf stalks were used by Native Americans in basketry.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes: A decoction made from the leaves is used to help clear up coughs and congestion due to colds. It has also been used in hair rinses and tonics. The black leaf stalks were used by Native Ameicans in basketry.

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 3
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 8
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE:
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
951	1985-0644			View
1211	1986-0980			View
2046	1986-1840			View
3351	1990-0222			View
5888	1995-1016			View
7573	2000-0336	2000-10-10		View
8163	2004-0173	2006-05-19		View
9551	2023-0020	2023-02-22		View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
1751	951	145	NCBG staff	1985-02-19	View
1752	951	200	NCBG staff	1985-02-19	View
2095	1211	81	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View
3304	2046	68	NCBG staff	1996-01-01	View
3305	2046	189	NCBG staff	1967-12-31	View
3306	2046	1	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
3307	2046	11	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
3308	2046	75	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
3309	2046	76	Liloia	1986-12-31	View
3310	2046	80	Liloia	1986-12-31	View
3311	2046	187	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
3312	2046	200	NCBG staff	1986-12-31	View
3313	2046	72	Liloia	0000-00-00	View
5578	3351	27	NCBG staff	1989-11-20	View
8406	5888	2	NCBG staff	1992-01-01	View
10653	7573	1	NCBG staff	1998-01-01	View
10654	7573	1	NCBG staff	1998-01-01	View
10655	7573	138	NCBG staff	1999-05-15	View
10656	7573	198	NCBG staff	1999-06-10	View
10657	7573	11	NCBG staff	1999-06-07	View
11417	8163	81	NCBG staff	2003-07-30	View
12456	7573	218	Briggs	2021-01-15	View
13434	9551	81	Briggs	2023-02-14	View
13625	0	60	Liloia	0000-00-00	View
13824	0	70	Liloia	0000-00-00	View
13845	0	77	Liloia	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: ADPE
USDA Common Name: Northern Maidenhair
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (NB, NS, ON, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACU				FAC	FAC		FACU	FACU	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Adiantum pedatum
COMMON NAME: Northern Maidenhair
SYNONYMY: [= Ar, G, Il, RAB, S, Tn, Va, W, WV, Z; > A. pedatum ssp. pedatum - C; > A. pedatum Linnaeus ssp. calderi Cody - C, misapplied to MD and PA material; = A. pedatum var. pedatum - F; < A. pedatum - FoC; > A. pedatum - FNA, K2, Pa; > A. aleuticum - FNA, K2, Pa, misapplied to MD and PA material]
PHENOLOGY: Jun-Aug.
HABITAT: Moist forests and cliffs, especially over calcareous or mafic rocks, sometimes in seasonal seepage.
COMMENTS: NS and NB west to ON and MN, south to GA, AL, MS, LA, and OK. Sometimes interpreted to also be present in e. Asia. Plants growing on serpentine in MD and se. PA have sometimes been interpreted as being A. aleuticum, but recent molecular studies show that they are stunted forms or sun forms of A. pedatum (W. Knapp, 2015, pers. comm.).
RANGE MAP: Adiantum pedatum.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Pteridaceae E.D.M. Kirchner 1831 (Maidenhair Fern Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 40 genera and about 1000 species. Here circumscribed to include Vittariaceae (see Smith et al. 2006). This family may be further subdivided, into families Adiantaceae (Adiantum, Vittaria), Sinopteridaceae (Myriopteris, Notholaena, Astrolepis, Pellaea), Cryptogrammaceae (Cryptogramma), Pteridaceae (Pteris), and Parkeriaceae (Acrostichum, Ceratopteris).
REFERENCE: Grusz & Windham (2013); Lellinger (1985); Windham in FNA (1993b); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990); Crane (1997). {add for FL: Acrostichum aureum, Adiantum melanoleucum, Adiantum villosum, Pityrogramma trifoliata, Pteris bahamensis, Pteris grandifolia, Pteris plumula}

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Adiantum L. (Maidenhair fern)
SUMMARY: A genus of 150-200 species, nearly cosmopolitan.
REFERENCE: Paris in FNA (1993b); Lu et al. (2011)=Z; Lin, Prado, & Gilbert in FoC (2013); Tryon, Tryon, & Kramer in Kramer & Green (1990).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Adiantum pedatum in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Adiantum pedatum in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Adiantum pedatum in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Adiantum pedatum in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Adiantum pedatum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Adiantum pedatum

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 12270 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 12270 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 9841 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 23381 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)