

How to identify Southern lady fern (Athyrium asplenioides)
Southern lady fern presents as an elegant perennial, typically measuring 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) tall. Its foliage is composed of lacy, broad fronds that exhibit a delicate, feathery texture. The deciduous leaves maintain a vibrant green coloration. Notable for their underground rhizomes, these plants are capable of forming extensive, dense ground covers which can be quite striking in natural settings. The spore covers are a unique feature, opening slowly and reflecting its nomenclature origin.
Lacy fronds with elliptic pinnae and oblong pinnules create a circular clump.
Stem displays yellow-green to red-brown color with distinctive chaffy scales.
Underground rhizomes enable dense ground cover formation in natural settings.
Reproductive structures (sori & indusia) located on undersides of pinnules.
Spore covers of southern lady fern open slowly, reflecting its unique nomenclature origin.
The 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) long and 10-inch (25 cm) across light green lacy fronds of southern lady fern are pinnate or pinnatifid lanceolate, forming a circular clump. Each frond contains 20-30 non-opposite pinnae that are elliptic with pointed tips. These pinnae are further divided into lanceolate to oblong pinnules. The fronds are widest below the center. The reproductive structures (sori & indusia) are located on the undersides of the pinnules.
The stem of southern lady fern is characterized by its yellow-green to red-brown coloration, exhibiting a distinct array of chaffy scales ranging from light to dark brown. These stems are moderately thick, typically measuring around 0.2 to 0.4 inches (0.5 to 1 cm) in diameter. Branching patterns are minimal, with a predominantly upright and slightly arching growth form. The texture of the stem is generally smooth but interrupted by the presence of the chaffy scales, providing a unique tactile and visual characteristic crucial for identification.
Gardenia jasminoides is an evergreen shrub with unique, glossy evergreen leaves and stunning flowers. The sophisticated, matte white flowers are often used in bouquets. The exceptional beauty of this ornamental plant has made it a popular and highly appreciated plant amongst gardeners and horticulturalists.
The golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a popular houseplant that is commonly seen in Australia, Asia, and the West Indies. It goes by many nicknames, including "devil's ivy", because it is so hard to kill and can even grow in low light conditions. Golden pothos has poisonous sap, so it should be kept away from pets and children.
Solanum lycopersicum is an annual or perennial herbaceous vine native to Central and South America that produces a large, juicy, edible fruit known as tomato. Today there are over 10000 cultivated varieties. Although tomato is the world’s most popular vegetable, botanically it is a fruit.
The pepper are commonly used for cooking in places such as the Southern U.S. and Central America. Most are moderately spicy, though because there are so many variants, the spice level can vary dramatically. Cayenne powder is also a popular seasoning product made from pepper plants.
The swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) produces bright, glossy leaves and makes a popular houseplant. It is originally native to tropical forest regions in Central America. The nickname swiss cheese plant refers to the small holes that develop in the plant's leaves. The long fruits resemble corncobs and smell sweet and fragrant when ripe.
The bigleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub native to Japan, and is known for its lush, oval, colorful inflorescence. The two types of Hydrangea macrophylla are mopheads - with large, ball-shaped, sterile flower clusters, and lace capes - with small round fertile flowers in the center, and sterile flowers on the outer side of each inflorescence. Depending on soil pH, blooms can change color from pink to blue.
Scientific Classification of Southern lady fern