6" Fern, Maidenhair

The epithet Maidenhair is a reference to the old use of the Fern in a natural shampoo used by young women. This most ethereal, frail looking fern is tougher than she looks. A cold hardy brake fern from the forest, it has waterproof, tiny, scalloped leaves in a misty light green on tough and fibrous threadlike stems. Stems arise from a central clump with each frond tip a tiny, furled fist of green that slowly unfolds. This is a water lover. Plants like misting and soil evenly moist and plants will frizzle to a burnt crisp if left too dry. The plant will completely resprout if it loses its leaves though. Native Americans finding the plant in damp forested areas found the plant useful in dressing wounds and used the stems to make a fine black dye or stain.