Lady Fern
November 3, 2022
By Adam Huggins
Lady Fern
Athyrium filix-femina
- Hul’qumi’num Name: lə́q’ləq’ʔey’
- Description: Perennial, deciduous , upright fern. Grows up to 2m tall. Large feathery fronds taper at both ends to create a diamond-like shape.
- Habitat: Moist to wet forests, meadows and streambanks.
- Harvest: Pick fiddleheads in early spring when young (<4″ tall). Pick only a few fiddleheads per plant so it may continue to grow.
- Edibility: Fiddleheads can be scrubbed of the brown-papery scales and must be cooked thoroughly before eating.
- Fun Fact: Easy to grow and maintain. Quite sun tolerant compared to other ferns.