Rattlesnake Fern Botrychium virginianum
Previously known as:
- Botrypus virginianus
- Phonetic Spelling
- bo-TRIH-chee-um ver-jin-ee-AH-num
- Description
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Rattlesnake Fern is a deciduous fern that is found in a wide variety climates: dry, mesic, and wet forests, coves, and most often in moist bottomlands and slopes with nutrient-rich soils. This plant prefers moist, rich woods and shade. It is one of first ferns to begin growth in spring. It has subterranean rhizomes and horizontal, coarse, shallow roots. It produces distinctive spores that rise at the conjunction of the leaves. This plant is difficult to cultivate.
VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Botrychium
- Species:
- virginianum
- Family:
- Ophioglossaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- New World and Temp. Eurasia
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heavy shade, Deer
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Fern
- Native Plant
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- This plant has long, erect, bright green, arching, 10-in. fronds that are broadly triangular and bipinnate to tripinnate. This plant has 2 large, opposite, basal pinnae and 4-5 pairs of opposite or subopposite smaller pinnae. The segments are pointed, toothed and thin-textured. Fertile fronds arise from the base of the blade.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Shade Garden
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
