May 18, 2026

Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron), a small fern that is native to not only eastern North American but also southern Africa. It has a distinctive coloring of its central stem, extremely dark almost black, which gives the plant its common name. I often see it up here in the woods.

A fern with two different types of fronds. Sterile fronds, which are just 2 to 6 inches long with a slight arch. They are often found growing along the ground, and are evergreen. The other type are fertile fronds which appear in spring, growing to a height of 1 to 2 feet. These fronds are deciduous, dying off in winter after their spores are dispersed.

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