Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Division Pteridophyta – Ferns

Class Filicopsida

Order Polypodiales

Family Pteridaceae – Maidenhair Fern family

Genus Adiantum L. – maidenhair fern

Species Adiantum aleuticum (Rupr.) Paris – Aleutian maidenhair

A deciduous, delicate, and dainty fern, growing from 1 – 2’ tall.

Strong, shiny purple-black stems grow erect and split in two, from which fan horizontal fronds of tiny leaflets, spreading like the fingers of a hand.

The Maidenhair fern grows in moist and shaded crevices in rocks, especially near falling or rushing water, where the plant benefits from the constant mist. More tender than some of the other northwest native ferns, the beauty of this unique plant lends itself to small vignettes in company with other woodland natives.

It is native both east and west of the Cascade Mountains and is also found scattered along the eastern seaboard, being hardy from USDA zones 3-8.

There are many stories to explain this plant’s common name, the liveliest relating a practice of testing a girl’s virtue: if she could handle the stem without causing the leaves to tremble, then she was chaste.

This rustic basket made from twining twigs was planted in the spring with Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum aleuticum) and Bunchberry (Cornus unalaschkensis). Shown here the following September, it still makes a charming outdoor centerpiece.