Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Fiddleheads

Talking about ferns, all fern fronds first appear in the form of a 'fiddlehead' when they emerge in the spring.  Each species looks somewhat different, but the general form of a fiddlehead is similar.  Ferns are actually ancient members of the plant kingdom that reproduce with spores rather than seeds as well.  In any case, not only ferns, but these different fiddleheads have always fascinated me.  I've been watching for them to get some pictures this spring, so here they are.

 
 Christmas Fern fiddlehead just emerging.

 Christmas Fern fiddlehead a little later.

 The tiny fiddleheads of Polypody.

 Still tightly curled, fiddleheads of the woodfern.


Ostrich Fern fiddleheads - these are the edible ones.

1 comment:

  1. I missed out on the edible ones this year. It has been a springtime ritual for us for many years but I just missed them. Boo! Nice photos of these beauties!

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