Morgan’s Spleenwort: A Rare Native Fern Worth Knowing About
If you’re a fern enthusiast with a taste for the truly unusual, you might have stumbled across the name Morgan’s spleenwort in your botanical wanderings. This isn’t your garden-variety fern – in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Asplenium ×morganii is one of those plants that makes even seasoned gardeners do a double-take.
What Exactly Is Morgan’s Spleenwort?
Morgan’s spleenwort is a perennial fern that belongs to the spleenwort family. The × in its scientific name is a dead giveaway that this is a hybrid – a natural cross between two parent spleenwort species. Like other members of the spleenwort clan, it’s a delicate, fine-textured fern that adds an air of woodland mystery wherever it grows.
A True Native Rarity
Here’s where things get interesting (and a bit sobering). Morgan’s spleenwort is native to the United States, but its distribution is incredibly limited. Currently, it’s known to grow naturally in Maryland, making it one of those blink and you’ll miss it plants in terms of geographic range.
This extremely limited distribution raises some important flags about this fern’s conservation status. While we don’t have definitive data on its rarity classification, any plant with such a restricted range deserves our respect and careful consideration.
Should You Try to Grow Morgan’s Spleenwort?
This is where we need to pump the brakes a bit. Given its extremely limited natural range and hybrid nature, Morgan’s spleenwort isn’t something you’ll find at your local garden center – and for good reason. Here are the key considerations:
- Rarity concerns: With such a limited distribution, this fern may be vulnerable in the wild
- Availability: Legitimate sources for this plant are virtually non-existent
- Growing challenges: As a hybrid with specific genetic makeup, it may have particular growing requirements that are difficult to replicate
The Responsible Approach
If you’re captivated by the idea of growing rare spleenworts, the most responsible approach is to:
- Appreciate Morgan’s spleenwort in its natural habitat (if you’re lucky enough to encounter it)
- Support conservation efforts for rare native plants
- Consider growing other native spleenwort species that are more readily available and sustainable to cultivate
Native Spleenwort Alternatives
While Morgan’s spleenwort might be off-limits for home cultivation, there are other beautiful native spleenworts that can bring similar woodland charm to your garden:
- Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes) – A delicate, rock-loving species
- Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) – Features distinctive dark stems
- Walking Fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum) – A unique species that walks by rooting at leaf tips
The Bigger Picture
Morgan’s spleenwort serves as a fascinating reminder of the incredible diversity of native plants in our landscapes – and how much we still have to learn and protect. While you might not be able to grow this particular fern in your garden, knowing about it connects you to the amazing web of plant life that makes up our native ecosystems.
Sometimes the most valuable plants are the ones we admire from afar, knowing that their greatest gift is simply existing in the wild where they belong. Morgan’s spleenwort is definitely one of those special plants – rare, mysterious, and worth protecting for future generations to discover and wonder about.
