Unfurl the secrets of ferns

Ferns have been growing on Earth for hundreds of millions of years. Dinosaurs, such as the towering Diplodocus, would have grazed on ancient ferns at their feet.

Ferns evolved a fascinating life cycle that involves growing two separate, very different life forms, one smaller and one larger, and this is still how modern-day ferns reproduce.

Today, ferns are found in almost every corner of the world, except Antarctica. Read on for some fern facts and find out what ferns you can see in our gardens.

Where do ferns like to grow?

Ferns like to grow in places that have low levels of light or dappled light. They also like to grow in moist or wet environments. They’re often found in gullies and around rivers and streams in nutrient-rich soils.

Going underground

Many ferns grow root-like structures underground called rhizomes, which they use to spread through the soil. These long, winding rhizomes can survive for extended periods underground, even if the fronds above ground die. This means the fern can wait until conditions improve before it sends up new rhizome stems and fronds. Bracken fern, which you might see in a range of habitats across the globe, grows in this way.

The remarkable life cycle of ferns

Ferns have a brilliant way of reproducing. They don’t produce seeds like flowering plants, but instead grow a completely new, independent plant called a gametophyte.

If you look on the underside of the unfurling green fronds of a fern at certain times of the year, you might see small, brown circular structures called sori. These sori produce spores, which float away in the air. When these spores land on moist soil, they start growing into a small, green, heart-shaped plant called a gametophyte.

A gametophyte is a relatively tiny life form, about the same size as your fingernail – you might never have noticed one before. Within this tiny plant are both male and female structures and it’s here that sexual reproduction takes place. If gametophytes live in a wet place, then the sperm will travel through the water to meet an egg in the same or another gametophyte.

From this sexual reproduction, a fern in its green, leafy form grows out of the female part of the gametophyte. Then the gametophyte dies away.

This complicated life cycle evolved hundreds of millions of years ago. Though it might seem clunky, it does offer some advantages. Having the male and female structures so close together means that the fern has a good chance of fertilisation. Also, the smaller gametophyte can live in places where the bigger fern, or sporophyte, cannot, which means it can be a way for the fern to expand its range.

Come see the ferns in our Evolution Garden

Tree fern, Dicksonia antarctica

Vibe: Ancient and atmospheric

Where does it grow? Tree ferns live in moist, cold gullies in eastern Australia.

We’ve planted tree ferns to recreate the coal swamp forests of the Carboniferous Period. It was during this geological period that many of the world’s oldest coal deposits formed.

The thick trunk of this species with its parasol-like crown of leaves resembles the growth forms of some of the earliest known small trees and seed ferns. We’re pairing this canopy of eye-catching tree ferns with an understory of small herbaceous ferns and horsetails. The result is a fern forest with a lush, leafy, vibrant feel, which you can enjoy as you sip your drinks on the patio of our Garden Kitchen Cafe.

Mamaku, Sphaeropteris medullaris

Vibe: Mysterious and tall

Where does it grow? These species are found in New Zealand and the South Pacific.

The trunk of this tree fern is tall and slender, supporting a crown of large leaves.

As you move around our Evolution Garden, the planting will change, taking you on a journey through time and giving you a sense of how plants have evolved.

Royal fern, Osmunda regalis

Vibe: Showy with wide, green fronds

Where does it grow? The royal fern lives in bogs and on the banks of streams in Europe, Africa and Asia.

The royal fern grows naturally in the UK. The fronds of this fern can grow almost two metres long.

King fern, Todea barbara

Vibe: Bushy with lance-shaped fronds

Where does it grow? This species grows in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

This fern is dotted around our gardens. It can grow as tall as three metres high with fronds that are two and a half metres long. In the UK, it might struggle to reach these heights due to our cold winters.

Male fern, Dryopteris filix-mas

Vibe: This deciduous fern grows bright green, lance-shaped fronds that grow in the shape of a massive shuttlecock. The male fern can be up to one and a half metres in height.

Where does it grow? Male ferns grow around the UK and are quite hardy so don’t mind if it gets a little dry. They also don’t mind if they grow in direct sunlight or in the shade. They form clumps with each other and can be found growing in hedgerows.