03/30/2026
Alabama’s Ferns are absolutely wild. 🌿
Ferns are ancient. They've been growing on this planet for over 300 million years — long before flowering plants, long before dinosaurs, long before Alabama was Alabama. And thanks to our state's humid climate, rich soils, and staggering variety of habitats, a diversity fern species are native to Alabama — from misty creek banks to sunny roadsides to sheer sandstone cliffs. Here are a few of our favorites:
Resurrection fern: One of Alabama's most enchanting plants — it grows on tree branches and appears to shrivel up and die during dry spells, only to spring back to full, lush green after rain. It can lose up to 97% of its water content and still survive. Draped across the limbs of a live oak, it's a genuinely magical sight.
Royal fern: One of the tallest native ferns in Alabama, reaching four feet or more, with large feathery fronds found near the edges of wetlands and along streams. It has the regal bearing to match its name — and it serves as a key habitat for amphibians and small mammals in our wetland ecosystems.
Cinnamon fern: Named for its striking cinnamon-colored fertile fronds that rise from the center of the plant like candles. A bold, beautiful presence in Alabama's wet woodlands and stream margins — and one of the most recognizable ferns in the Southeast.
The Alabama streak-sorus fern is one of the world's rarest fern species, known only from a five-mile stretch of the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River in Winston County. It clings to sandstone cliff shelters in a hyper-specific microclimate and is federally listed as threatened. Specimens like these are exactly why herbarium collections matter.
Ferns occur in such variety and abundance in Alabama because of the temperate climate, sufficient year-round moisture, and the remarkable diversity of habitats, soils, and microclimates across the state. The Troy University Herbarium documents many of these species — preserving Alabama's fern flora for researchers, students, and future generations. 📌
Have a favorite fern you've spotted around here? Tell us in the comments! 👇
