Hey y'all ... does anyone know of ferns here in our state that will grow and survive in direct sun? I've been in Florida for almost 48 years and I've never heard of ferns for full sun other than the Southern Sword Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia) which took over the side and back yard at our old house and took forever to eradicate. A new ATP member from West Palm was asking about it on the Fern Forum and it got my curiosity up.

I do have some Blechnum (Swamp Ferns) growing outward from beneath our back deck and the Pleopeltis (Resurrection Fern) on one tree, but they both grow in shade. I don't have a lot of shade so it would be great if there were ferns (that don't take over) that will survive full sun.

Leather Fern.

Thanks Hetty!

What about the cinnamon fern? They grow full sun and shade just need watering

Hmm ... I've never seen Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) growing in full sun here in Florida. They do like a moist habitat but I'm just not sure how well they would do in the full sun for a lot of hours.

Nephrolepis obliterata 'Kimberly Queen' handles full sun well. However, they are very invasive here in the zone 9, SC Lowcountry.

Maybe that's why "obliterata" is in the name? It obliterates competing plants?

Anybody got an IDea bout this one? It is growing out the side of my waterfall feature near my pond. A volunteer that rooted itself nicely between some rocks, and it does get some sun. I think it's sort of pretty with its long pointer finger at the end.

Elaine, we have that native fern growing behind our deck but for the life of me I can't remember the name. I'll go through the photo folders on my laptop and see if I can find which one it is.

I'm not certain but I think it may be Swamp Fern (Telmatoblechnum serrulatum)

They can get quite large; for comparisons check out the photos on these pages: http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/G...
http://regionalconservation.or...
http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/G...

Some small ones by my deck and a large patch that my neighbor sprayed and killed because she didn't like them:

Hmm, it sure looks a lot like the one in your picture, Lin but the ones in your links have wavy leaflets, and coppery color on the new growth, and mine doesn't. Leaflets are straight as an arrow.

It's been growing and the clump increasing all summer, but the longest frond is still under 2ft. as well. Of course it maybe a bit stunted given it's growing between stones on a wall of the waterfall.

Mine may not be the one I think it is then because the leaves on mine don't seem to be real crinkly either. Close up photos of the leaves of the ferns below my deck:

I do love ferns too and have been learning from this thread. I have one or two I would love to identify and will have to get pictures for you to help me identify Lin or somebody! One is probably some sort of leatherleaf and the fronds get 4 or 5 feet long. Right now its smaller. My friend who gave me a tiny baby last year has the huge clump that has the 5 foot leaves. Heck! I'll run out and photo it.

Be right back!

Here it is...

Pretty one, David but it looks like an artichoke to me . . . shows what I know about ferns. Artichokes are thistles.

No,.... Elaine.

I've grown artichokes and this is definitely a Fern. Thats what I've named her;.........."Fern"............. (until I know who she really is?)

David, that is a most interesting fern; I love the tattered leaf edges! You didn't mention where your friend lives (Florida? or perhaps up north?) I've been googling and looking at fern pictures for over an hour and I couldn't find a match.

My first thought was possibly one of the Holly Ferns (Cyrtomium) http://garden.org/plants/searc... Some do have tattered leaf edges but I just couldn't find anything close to the one in your photo.

Then I thought maybe it was a Lady Ferns (Athyrium) http://garden.org/plants/brows... but couldn't anything there either.

I searched through photos of Dryopteris, Rumohra and a few others also but got nowhere. It's such an interesting fern and I'm really curious as to the ID so hopefully someone more familiar with ferns will recognize it and be able to give us a name.

Gosh Lin,

I really do appreciate all your effort, yet had no idea you would put that much effort into it!

I'll have to send you a piece or that lichen bark with the orange tips with your order this week to add to one of your ferns (or a new miniature gardens beginnings!). Just spritz and watch it come to life.
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Anyways,..............Thank You! I got it from my almost 80 year old friend Pat who brought it up with her 12 years ago from Miami. It has survived several hard freezes for her in the past years, but of course under trees like where mine is now planted. Pat has no clue what it is.
She unfortunately had the tree shading hers cut down this year for fear of limbs falling,... and hers didn't fare as well as past years in the extra sun however.

LOL Dave, I love a good mystery! I've still been looking at different fern pictures off and on and thought it resembeled Lygodium venustum too but I'm really bad at going back and forth comparing photos and once I looked closer I doubt that's the right one eithr: https://www.google.com/search?...

Then I thought maybe Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum) because I think they grow in south Florida but I'm just not sure.

Oh, thank you so much for sharing a piece of that lichen bark, it will be fun to watch that one grow, it's so cute. I'll be watching my e-mail for a paypal invoice from you. Are you able to hold off shipping for a week or so? We are flying out to California from Jan 8th to the 13th so anytime after that would work.

Not a problem Lin. Happy New Year!

I'll send your invoice the 13th.

Thanks so much David ... Happy New Year to you too!