Stately Maiden Fern (Thelypteris kunthii)

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Thelypteris kunthii - Ladybird Johnsn Wildflower Center

Duration: Perennial, dies back to roots in winter

Native to: Southeastern USA

Edibility: Not describes as edible

Status in Yard: Contained in a bed

This stately maiden fern, which as a lot of different common names, fills the narrow bed along the back of my garage.

Click the photo to see it bigger!

The bipinnate fronds look similar to the common Dryopteris filix-mas, but the shape of the sub-leaflets is slightly different. In Dryopteris filix-mas, they are more rounded, and in the stately maiden fern they have a slight pointed hook towards the end of the frond leaflet.


By the look of the previous photo, I thought the leaflets were opposite, but in photos of stately maiden fern online they were alternate. I went back outside for another look, and indeed most of the other fronds had alternate leaflets.