Central Coast Ferns - Part 1: Sun to Part Shade

Ferns are magical, breathing an ancient stillness into a place. On the Central Coast, we are so lucky to have very many fine ferns locally that are beautiful and gardenworthy. Native people used to use them - and still do - in basketry and also to thatch buildings.

Ferns grow in many ecological niches, from damp and shady to sunny and dry. Above is Dryopteris arguta, Coastal Wood Fern, which is happy in sun or shade (more pictures of it below). This is part 1 of a two part post - one for ferns that grow in surprisingly dry sunny spots, and another for those that grow in the moister shadier places.

Pellaea andromedaefolia, Coffee Fern
These are delicate, small ferns that can grow in masses on sunny rocky slopes.

Pellaea andromedaefolia, Coffee Fern, has rounded leaf segment tips, and Pellaea mucronata, Bird's Foot Fern has a point at the tip of each leaf segment, but otherwise they are similar at least to the non-botanist.

I don't know that these are available in the trade, so maybe they are difficult to grow in a garden. They would be lovely in a rock wall. Same goes for the next fern...

Pentagramma triangularis, Golden-back Fern
(AKA Pityrogramma triangularis)

I love this little fern, so delicate and so tough. Native Americans used the black stems in their basketry. I love how ferns unfurl.

It grows in the most inhospitable crevices on dry rocky and sandy places in the chaparral. At the right time of year, you can pat the small fronds on a child's hand and leave a golden print from the powdery spores on the underside.

Pteridium aquilinum, Bracken Fern
Bracken fern, Pteridium aquilinum, appears sporadically here. I have a vivid memory of a sweeping hillside in Wales in fall, covered with pinkish-orange bracken fern, a magical fairy forest for me and my three-year-old companion to creep under. Around my neighborhood I see it growing on sunny south slopes, and also shady areas too. Our local native is Pteridium aquilinium pubescens, but I don't know if that's what is here though I expect so. I have to do more work to figure that out.

I love the color of dead brackenfern fronds.

Dryopteris arguta, Coastal Wood Fern
Though books say this fern likes the shade, I find it all over my property and mostly on the sunny chaparral side, sometimes in the partial shade of a shrub. It is a tough cookie and an attractive classic upright fern shape. It is a dominant fern on our property, along with goldenback fern. I love seeing it grow in odd nooks and crannies along the chaparral slope here.


When young, and in the shade, it is tenderest green. Like other shady ferns - of which more in a later post.