The Sword Fern can be identified by its alternating leaflets which attach to the frond’s main stem with short little stems. Sword Fern’s fronds can grow up to 6 feet in length making it one of the largest fern species. Sword Ferns reproduce through spores instead of flowering. The spores are produced in clusters called sori on the underside of their fronds and then dispersed by the wind. Native people used Sword Ferns both as a food source and as a pain reliever. Sword Ferns are the most common fern in the Tualatin River watershed.
