June Plant of the Month: Fern

Though summer doesn't officially begin for a few more days, we've been feeling the heat and humidity of the season for a while. Our plant of the month, like most Floridians, enjoys the shade of a palm tree and likes to keep cool. The Fern is our focus for June because it is a versatile tool of landscape designers. It provides aesthetic appeal, as well as having other interesting properties. And best of all, it's a favorite of indoor gardeners, so you don't even have to go outside to enjoy it.

With nearly four hundred species of Fern found in North America, there is a Fern for every landscaping situation. Our subtropical climate is ideal for these plants because they prefer moist soil and the shade of larger trees. Often used to accent focal points in gardens or yards, ferns thrive under Palms, in Oak hammocks, and in swamps. They also have a huge assortment of leaf shape, sizes, and colors, that provide depth and visual interest to any landscape. Ferns can provide ground cover beneath large trees, encircle a statue, accentuate hardscaping boundaries, or give texture and color to borders. With more than one hundred native species to choose from, Ferns are an easy addition to your Florida Friendly Yard.

One of the other interesting features of the Fern is its ability to purify the air around it. Plants absorb gases through the porous surface of their leaves. You probably already know that they take in carbon dioxide, but they also absorb other gases in the air, leaving the air cleaner. This is true of indoor plants as well as outdoor plants. While all plants are able to do this, Ferns are one of the plants that NASA recommends for indoor air purification. The same plant process that purifies the air also releases colder, moisturized air. This slightly cools the space around the plant and combats the dryness caused by air conditioning. So not only will a Fern be a beautiful addition to your landscaping; it can help provide cooler, cleaner air inside your home. Indoors or out, a Fern can provide color and texture to its surroundings and improve the air around it. Contact the professionals at LawnMore today to get help in selecting a Fern that will look beautiful and thrive in your landscape.