bird's nest fern

Ferns are some of my favorite plants. Their delicate leaves and strong architectural forms keep me looking at them. The little ginkgo-shaped leaves and black stems of the maidenhair fern have to be right up there among my favorite kinds of fern.

But with all the delicate-looking ferns to choose from, what’s got to be another of my favorite is the bird’s nest fern (Asplenium sp.). Here are some closeups of the sides of the undivided spears of a specimen at San Diego’s Balboa Park.

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5 thoughts on “bird's nest fern”

  1. I really envy you being able to take these photos – my camera is not sophisticated enough. I love ferns to and have included one in my GBBD post – well I havent really got any flowers out so I went for interesting leaves instead

  2. Bird–thanks very much for your comments!

    Helen–The fern in your posting is a beautiful one, and you’ve got a number of interesting foliage specimens.

    Even here in Southern California many of our flowering plants have slowed down for the winter…which leaves branches and foliage to look at. I’m not about to say “who needs flowers,” but the green things can keep us occupied for a while!

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