Ferns’ stately, erect clumping evergreen fronds create them smart choices as houseplants or as outside Stump Removal estimate Bakersfield plants. The native Western sword fern (Polystichum munitum), for instance, is referred to as the king of ferns. It grows at U.S. Department of Agriculture Stump Removal cost Fort Lauderdale, FL hardiness zones 5 through 9. Like most of ferns, it reproduces through spores, not seeds, that are dispersed by various methods, including water, gravity and animals, but the most common process of fern spore dispersal is wind.
Spore Development
Mature ferns first begin producing spores when they are between 1 and 5 years old, typically in early to midsummer. The spores grow in pouches called “sori,” which appear as rows of small round dots on the undersides of the fronds. The mild yellow spores are released when the sori dry out and tension makes them burst open, spraying the spores to the wind.
Carried on the Wind
The tiny fern spores can be carried great distances — hundreds or thousands of miles — till they hit the right habitat where they can germinate. This is important for ferns from the wild, because fern spores typically will not germinate in a place which already has a significant fern population. Spore dispersal evolved so the ferns can spread to other, more distant regions, as neighborhood fern reproduction is usually the result of a robust rhizome system. It doesn’t take many fern spores to begin fresh fern colonies. According to a study published in the April 2012 problem in “Annals of Botany,” one spore can set a colony.
Alternative Dispersal Methods
Many fern spores are dispersed by wind, but they could also travel on animal coat or bird feathers. Some fern spores drop into waterways where they are swept to some other location. Fern spores might fall to an animal’s food, be eaten and afterwards dispersed from the animal’s droppings. Fern spores are hardy and can remain viable for up to four years, giving them plenty of time to find the right spot to germinate.
Fern Propagation
You may attempt to spread ferns from spores at home, as a project. The method involves selecting a frond with spore sori and letting it dry between sheets of newspaper. Ripe sori should drop their spores within 24 hours. The spores can then be deceived into a potting mix and kept from direct sunlight.