A Story of Ferns
Some times during the season, you may find your ferns are "infected" by some "bugs" as shown in the photos.
These "bugs" are found in the back of their leaves (called fronds for ferns), and are distributed in a regular pattern. You might be shocked or feel a bit disgusting.
Are they bugs, fungus or insects' eggs?
The answer is...................NONE OF THE ABOVE .
They are the seeds. Well, they are not exactly the seeds. They are called spores, equivalents of seeds found in the higher plants.
Although ferns are an ancient plant family over 300 million years old, they have not evolved to a form found among the higher plant species that flower, fertilize and bearing seeds. The spores of fern grow out of the lower side of the fronds. Growing fern plants from spores needs rather sophisticated care and may take months or over a year. However, it is a very interesting process to observe and a highly educational project for young kids.