There are approximately 12,000 species of ferns living in the world today, many of which have significant culinary, medicinal, ornamental, environmental, and economic uses. Ferns are an ancient lineage of plants that have been around for more than 300 million years. Though they prefer damp climates, they are prevalent all over the world, including the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand. Read on to find out how ferns are used in different cultures, and how you can use them to enhance your life.

Culinary Uses of Ferns
Fiddlehead ferns are a popular variety of fern used in cooking. They are the new, unfurled growth of the ostrich fern. The ostrich fern is most prevalent in the northern New England states, such as Vermont and Maine. Harvest fiddleheads in early spring. Many people affiliate the taste of fiddleheads with asparagus or artichokes.

Fiddlehead Fern Recipes:

Fiddlehead Ferns and Angel Hair Pasta by Emeril Lagasse

Fiddlehead Fern and Morel Salad from The New York Times

Trout with Fiddlehead Ferns from All Recipes

Other varieties of ferns may have edible fiddleheads, but check a guidebook before consuming.

Around the world, ferns are also used in tea and as a substitute for hops in fermenting beer.

Medicinal Uses of Ferns
The delicate Lady Fern, found in the moist areas of North America, is used to treat stinging nettles. Roll a frond between your palms and mash it. The juice eases the burn.

The Asplenium species of ferns (also known as spleenworts) includes the maidenhair, the wall-rue, the Rusty-back, the Crow’s Nest, and many more, are often used to treat stomach disorders such as diarrhea and parasites.

Easy to Care For House Plant
Ferns are an easy to care for indoor houseplant, with attractive foliage. They like low light and high humidity. Popular indoor varieties include the asparagus fern, the maidenhair, and the Boston fern. Fern fronds are also often used in live ornamental flower arrangements. They can also be dried and spray-painted for preservation.

Ferns in the Environment
The hardy fern has a root system that branches out and adds moisture to the soil, which helps prevent soil erosion and aids stabilization. Ferns also increase soil fertility due to the large amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate they leach into the ground.

Ferns are a great indicator of soil, air, and water quality. Their fronds are sensitive to pollutants, and any shift in the environment will reveal itself through decreased reproduction.

Studies have revealed that ferns help remove heavy metals, such as arsenic, from soil.

Like all plants, the fern plays an important role in the amount of oxygen in the air. Through photosynthesis, plants ingest carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Ferns and other plants are natural air cleaners.

Economic Importance of Ferns
Throughout the world, ferns have been used as a source of fuel, as fertilizer, insecticide, building material, and even currency. There is indication that some species of fern could be use as biofuel, as well.

Though the most popular uses of fern–especially in the United States–are in the culinary and horticulture arenas, the fern’s importance extends into many aspects of societies all over the world, and research indicates that it could serve more purposes than people think.

For more information, visit these sources:

American Fern Society
University of Maine: Facts on Fiddleheads
The New York Botanical Garden
Rook.org
Web Ecoist
Chow

This entry was posted on Monday, October 13th, 2008 at 7:33 am and is filed under Useful Plants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.