11/27/2022
https://www.facebook.com/GreatParksHC/photos/a.118012198285299/5645700818849715/
While walking in the woods along any Great Parks trails, you may come across a fern that is still green. The common name for this plant is Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). Christmas fern got this name because of the fact that it retains its green color through winter.
The leaves lie flat on the ground instead of standing tall at this time of year to help protect the plant from the worst of the winter weather. Under a blanket of snow, the leaves are somewhat insulated.
Another reason for the name is the shape of the individual leaflets, which are called pinnae. To some, they look like little stockings that might hang from a fireplace mantle.
