Dryostichum: The Mystery Fern Hybrid You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
If you’ve stumbled across the name dryostichum or its botanical name ×Dryostichum, you’re in for a bit of a botanical mystery. This perennial fern represents one of those fascinating plants that keeps botanists scratching their heads and gardeners wondering if they’ve discovered something truly special.
What Exactly Is ×Dryostichum?
The × symbol in front of the name is your first clue that we’re dealing with something unusual – it indicates this is a hybrid genus. Think of it as nature’s way of mixing and matching different fern species to create something entirely new. Unlike the typical forbs you might find in your garden, this is actually a fern, despite some conflicting information you might encounter.
As a perennial plant, ×Dryostichum would return year after year once established, making it a potentially valuable addition to the right garden setting.
Where Does This Mystery Fern Call Home?
This particular fern hybrid is native to Canada, specifically documented in Ontario. Its limited geographic range makes it something of a botanical unicorn – you’re not likely to stumble across it in your neighborhood nursery or even in most specialized native plant sales.
The Challenge of Growing the Unknown
Here’s where things get tricky for gardeners. With such limited information available about ×Dryostichum, growing it successfully becomes a bit like solving a puzzle without all the pieces. We know it’s a perennial fern hybrid, but the specifics of its preferred growing conditions, size at maturity, and care requirements remain largely undocumented.
Should You Try to Grow It?
The honest answer? It’s complicated. Here are some considerations:
- Rarity can be appealing to collectors, but it also means limited resources for troubleshooting problems
- As a native Canadian species, it could provide ecological benefits if you’re in its natural range
- The lack of growing information makes it a risky choice for beginning gardeners
- You’d likely need to source it from specialized botanical gardens or research institutions
Alternative Native Ferns to Consider
If you’re drawn to the idea of native ferns in your Ontario garden, you might want to consider these well-documented alternatives:
- Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) – reliable and evergreen
- Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina) – graceful and adaptable
- Royal fern (Osmunda regalis) – impressive size and fall color
The Bottom Line
×Dryostichum represents one of those fascinating botanical mysteries that reminds us how much we still don’t know about the plant world. While its rarity and hybrid nature make it intriguing, the lack of cultivation information makes it better suited for botanical research than backyard gardening.
If you’re determined to grow rare native ferns, work with reputable native plant societies or botanical institutions that might have access to properly documented specimens. Just remember – sometimes the most responsible thing we can do as gardeners is appreciate these botanical mysteries from afar while we wait for science to catch up with our curiosity.
