Plant · GBIF taxon 5275136
Coastal Wood Fern
Dryopteris argutaAlso known as Coastal Woodfern, California Wood Fern
Coastal wood ferns are hardy, evergreen perennials that form elegant, vase-like clumps of deeply divided, leathery green fronds. They thrive in the dry, shaded understory of oak woodlands and mixed evergreen forests, utilizing a deep rhizome system to survive summer droughts. These ferns provide vital year-round shelter for ground-nesting birds, amphibians, and small woodland mammals.
EvergreenShade-LovingDrought-Tolerant
1 / 7—observations
—countries
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Water
- Sunlight
- Soil Nutrients
Predators
- Black-tailed Deer
- Slugs
- Caterpillars
ThreatsHabitat loss, urbanization, and severe wildfires
HabitatsOak woodlands, mixed evergreen forests, shady canyons, and coastal scrub
Life span10 to 20 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyDryopteridaceae
- SpeciesDryopteris arguta
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Look under fronds: Examine the undersides of mature fronds in summer to see the circular spore-producing sori.
- Check the base: Observe the stout, scaly rhizome at the soil surface, which helps anchor the plant in steep canyons.
- Avoid trampling: Stay on established trails to protect the delicate soil crust and shallow root systems.
Frequent Companion Jami Dwyer / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Co-Occurring Species (c) Timothy McNitt, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Timothy McNitt · cc-by
Symbiont (c) Franco Folini, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Carl Axel Magnus Lindman / Public domain · cc0
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