Pellaea ovata coll. #A2T-016

This splendidly unusual desert sun fern has proven to be quite easy to grow in our garden. These particular plants are spore grown from a Burnet Co. (Texas Hill Country) plant, from our 2000 expedition. This darling deciduous fern has a zig-zag rachis (stem) to 15" tall, adorned with thumb-shaped, blue-grey leaves that point downward. Preferring dry, rocky sites in the wild, this fern grows in both alkaline and acid soils. Almost no one who sees this in our garden can identify it as a fern. While zig-zag cliff brake isn't difficult to grow, it might prove to be a bit challenging for beginners.