Adiantum

Adiantum, or maidenhair ferns, are worldwide in distribution and the genus consists of around 200 species. Most species occur in the American tropics, with some species extending into temperate regions. Ten species are endemic to the contiguous United States, with four of these reaching north into Canada and Alaska, while to the south, Mexico has around 35 species.

Three species are endemic to California (Adiantum aleuticum, Adiantum capillus-veneris, and Adiantum jordanii), along with one naturally occuring hybrid (Adiantum ×tracyi). The latter is found only in the State of California.

Adiantum are prized for their decorative properties, and are typically small to medium-sized tender ferns which require medium light and moist, well-drained soil. Some species are hardy or semi-hardy. Adiantum do not tolerate soggy soil, and while they will often recover from drying out and produce new fronds, the wilted fronds will not rehydrate.

The 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants lists fourteen species as threatened.

Click here for a distribution map for Adiantum in the United States and Canada (U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service).

Click here for Adiantum in the the Encyclopedia of Life.

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