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Janice Dunn | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Ferns of New Zealand tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Ferns of New Zealand

One of the things I like about New Zealand is its lush greenery and the many native bush and forests that can often be seen throughout the country.

I enjoy walking in the bush and looking at the ferns in their many different stages of growth. I can find so much beauty even in the ferns as they start to die off.

Ferns are ancient. They have neither flowers nor seeds. Their beauty comes from form and colour. Ferns bear spores on the backs of their leaves.

Spores are produced on all leaves or only some. They are tiny and dust-like; the number of spores from one frond amounting to millions. The air where ferns grow is full of spores that are capable of surviving for very long periods before germinating. The dark brown and sometimes red, spore-bearing fronds of many ferns create an interesting contrast with the other green leaves.

Ferns are typically found in moist forested areas although some hardy species can be found in coastal, urban, and even in desert locations. They vary in form and size.

New Zealand has around 164 different fern species many of which are widespread.
Dead Fern - Kuripaka / Wheki-Ponga (Maori)
Dead Fern - Kuripaka / Wheki-Ponga (Maori)
Rare Fern - King Fern - Marattia salicina
Rare Fern - King Fern - Marattia salicina
Silver Fern
Silver Fern
Silver Fern
Silver Fern
Silver Fern
Silver Fern
Ferns by the cliff
Ferns by the cliff
Fern fronds slowly aging
Fern fronds slowly aging
Small ferns
Small ferns
Small ferns
Small ferns
Rotoiti
Rotoiti
Rotoiti
Rotoiti
Rotoiti
Rotoiti
Rotoiti
Rotoiti
Alpine Fern
Alpine Fern
Young fern frond opening
Young fern frond opening
Hardy Fern
Hardy Fern
kiokio
kiokio
Silver Ferns
Silver Ferns
Silver Ferns
Silver Ferns
Silver Ferns touching
Silver Ferns touching
Tree ferns and grey sky
Tree ferns and grey sky
Tree ferns and grey sky
Tree ferns and grey sky
Tall Tree Ferns, before the rain
Tall Tree Ferns, before the rain
Tall Tree Ferns, before the rain
Tall Tree Ferns, before the rain
Tall Tree Ferns
Tall Tree Ferns
Fern
Fern
Kiokio Fern
Kiokio Fern
NZ Fern aging so beautifully
NZ Fern aging so beautifully
NZ Fern
NZ Fern
NZ Fern
NZ Fern
NZ Fern
NZ Fern
Beauty is in the shape as well as the colour
Beauty is in the shape as well as the colour
Waitakere Ranges
Waitakere Ranges
Dying fern.jpg
Dying fern.jpg
New Zealand's iconic Silver Fern
New Zealand's iconic Silver Fern
Standing out in a crowd.jpg
Standing out in a crowd.jpg
Tree Fern growing tall
Tree Fern growing tall
Two sides of the Silver Fern, blown this way by the wind
Two sides of the Silver Fern, blown this way by the wind
Two sides of the Silver Fern
Two sides of the Silver Fern
Wheki Pinga Fern
Wheki Pinga Fern
Silver Fern showing its 2 sides
Silver Fern showing its 2 sides
Various Stages of Life and Death
Various Stages of Life and Death
Tree Ferns in the bush
Tree Ferns in the bush
Fern Frond opening
Fern Frond opening
Changing colours
Changing colours
Showing the many stages of growth
Showing the many stages of growth
Green fern
Green fern
Wall to wall ferns
Wall to wall ferns
Tall frond opening against the sky
Tall frond opening against the sky
Tall frond opening against the sky
Tall frond opening against the sky
Aging gracefully
Aging gracefully
Silver Fern
Silver Fern
Frond opening
Frond opening
NZ's Silver fern
NZ's Silver fern
NZ's Silver fern
NZ's Silver fern
Young ferns growing
Young ferns growing
Beauty, even as they age
Beauty, even as they age
Green fern
Green fern
Fern Grove
Fern Grove
Fern Grove
Fern Grove
Green upon green
Green upon green
Textures and patterns
Textures and patterns