Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 81: Disco in-FERN-oh

Video by Danielle Sherry & Steve Aitken, Edited by Kara Demos

If that title doesn’t grab you, nothing will! We’re talking all things ferns, including East Coast natives, West Coast natives, selections that are from prehistoric times, and even a climbing fern. Yep—that’s right, a climbing fern! And in case all of that excitement isn’t enough for you, the entire episode is filled with ’70s soft rock and disco references. Have you always wondered if Steve could imitate Barry Gibbs’s falsetto? Well, tune in to find out the answer.

Expert testimony: Sue Milliken and Kelly Dodson, owners of Far Reaches Farm in Port Townsend, Washington.

 

Steve’s plants

Japanese holly fern (Cyrtomium fortunei, Zones 6–10)

Maidenhair ferns (Adaintum spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8)

Upside-down fern (Arachniodes standishii, Zones 4–8)

Tokyo wood fern (Dryopteris tokyoensis, Zones 5–8)

 

Danielle’s plants

American climbing fern (Lygodium palmatum, Zones 4–8)

Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides, Zones 3–9)

Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi syn. Sphaeropteris cooperi, Zones 8–11)

Bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus, Zones 10–11)

  

American climbing fern
American climbing fern. Photo: Don Avery

 

Upside-down fern
Upside-down fern

 

Australian tree fern
Australian tree fern

 

Birds nest fern
Bird’s nest fern

 

Christmas fern
Christmas fern

 

Japanese holly fern
Japanese holly fern

 

Tokyo wood fern
Tokyo wood fern

 

Himalayan maidenhair fern
Himalayan maidenhair fern

 

Northern maidenhair fern
Northern maidenhair fern

 


Expert testimony

Sue Milliken and Kelly Dodson, owners of Far Reaches Farm in Port Townsend, Washington.

All photos below courtesy of Far Reaches Farm.

 

 

Pyrrosia davidii
Pyrrosia davidii
Pyrrosia hastata
Pyrrosia hastata
Pyrrosia heteractis
Pyrrosia heteractis
Pyrrosia lingua ‘Nokoginba’
Pyrrosia lingua ‘Nokoginba’
Pyrrosia lingua ‘Tachiba Koryu’
Pyrrosia lingua ‘Tachiba Koryu’
Pyrrosia lingua ‘Variegata’
Pyrrosia lingua ‘Variegata’
Pyrrosia matsudae
Pyrrosia matsudae
Pyrrosia polydactyla
Pyrrosia polydactyla
Pyrrosia stigmosa
Pyrrosia stigmosa
Pyrrosia sheareri
Pyrrosia sheareri

 

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Comments

  1. user7391528 02/23/2021

    Hello, what you have pictured looks nothing like a Japanese Holly fern. I have one and it has wider, glossy leaves. I noticed there are two types that are called Holly Fern so maybe I’m missing something. I haven’t listened to the episode yet so maybe I’m wrong...

    1. ashntulasgarden 02/24/2021

      Agree, I don't think that's Cyrtomium fortunei.

  2. perenniallycrazy 03/22/2021

    Drooling!

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