"… to be used for nature study and as a preserve for birds and other wildlife."- Carmen Hambleton Warner
Wahkeena has 33 different species of ferns. The majority of these can be observed from the trail system, especially the Shelter Trail. Ferns are ancient plants dating back to around 300 million years ago! At that time ferns were huge tree-like plants and dominated the landscape. In fact, we can thank those ferns for much of our electricity today. Why? Those plants over time became coal, which in Ohio, is our main source of electricity!
Fronds of Wahkeena:
Common Name Scientific Name
Water Clover Marsilia quadrifolia
Grape Fern Botrychium dissectum
Rattlesnake Fern Botrychium virgnianum
Daisy-leaved Grape Fern Botrychium matricarifolium
Cinnamon Fern Osmunda cinnamomea
Interrupted Fern Osmunda claytonia
Royal Fern Osmunda regalis
Northern Maidenhair Fern Adiantum pedatum
Lobed Spleenwort Asplenium pinnatifidum
Ebony Spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomas
New York Fern Thelypteris noveborecensis
Marginal Fern Dryopteris marginalis
Broad Beech Fern Phegopteris hexagonaptera
Hay-scented Fern Dennstaedia punctilobula
Mackay’s Fragile Fern Cystopteris tenuis
Fragile Fern Cystopteris fragilis
Bulblet Fern Cystopteris bulbifera
Silvery Speenwort Deparia acrostichoides
Lady Fern Athyrium filis-femina
Intermediate Wood Fern Dryopteris intermedia
Wood Fern Dryopteris Carthusiana
Sensitive Fern Onoclea sensibilis
Common Polypody Polypodium virginianum
Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides
Ostrich Fern Matteuccia struthiopteris
Bracken Fern Pteridium aquilinum
Blunt-lobed Woodsia Woodsia Obtusa
Appalachian gametophyte Appalachian gametophyte
Walking Fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
Southern Adder’s Tongue Fern Ophioglossum vulgatum
Netted Chain Fern Woodwardia areolata
Common Name Scientific Name