Deer Fern

Deer fern, Blechnum spicant, is a fern of the family Blechnaceae native to western North America, Europe and parts of Asia, typically growing in moist, acidic soils of coniferous forests. It displays two distinct types of fronds, a common feature in its family: spreading evergreen sterile fronds low to the ground, and taller, narrower, upright fertile fronds that bear spores on their undersides. Its foliage is browsed by deer and other wildlife in parts of its range, likely the origin of its common name.