How to Collect Fern Spores

Fern spores are used to propagate large numbers of plants.

There are countless species of ferns in the world, some common and some exceedingly rare. The reproduction process in ferns is different than most other plants. Spores are produced on the underside of the leaves and are released to be carried by wind or water to new habitats. Desirable cultivated varieties, or rare and endangered species, are easily propagated from the spores in a controlled environment, but first the spores have to be collected.

Things You'll Need

• Clear plastic bag

Instructions

1. Locate ferns with mature spores on the underside of the leaves. The spore-producing structures usually turn brown or black when mature.

2. Place a plastic bag over the frond and tap or shake vigorously. You may need to rub your thumb over some spore casings to get them to release the spores. When you see trace amounts of brown dust or powder in the bag, you have collected enough spores to grow many new ferns.

3. Label the bag with the species collected if you are harvesting more than one species of fern spores.

4. Store spores in the refrigerator or freezer in air-tight, moisture-proof containers if you don't intend to plant them immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• An alternate method of collecting spores is to cut a mature frond and place it in a paper envelope for at least a week. The spores are released as the frond dries out.

References

• University of Washington; Plant Propagation Protocol for Cystopteris fragilis; Keenan Lee-Peters; June 2010