You Are Here: Wildflower Guide > Late Spring to Early Summer> Cinnamon Fern
To go back to the master directory, click on the Wildflower Guide button above.
To jump back to the Late Spring group, click here.
To jump to another season, click one of these links: early spring : mid-spring : mid-summer : late summer : fall : winter

I don't "do" many ferns - ferns and mosses require expert attention, and I just haven't been able to focus on them yet. But the Cinnamon Fern is one that most of us can distinguish. It is named for the "fruiting" stalk that looks just like a big cinnamon stick. The key identifying factor is that the "cinnamon" stalk is completely separate from all the other leaves of the plant. It emerges directly from the ground, at the center of the plant, and bears no green leaves. The Cinnamon Fern grows throughout our area, but chances are you will most easily find it in very moist locations. The one pictured was a good 4 feet high - and they can grow to about 6 feet , with leaves spreading a good 3 or 4 feet wide. It was "in bloom" around June 1. To see a really spectacular colony, go to the Pink Beds Picnic Area (on Route 276 south and west of Asheville), and hike the loop trail.