Medicinal Monday...Northern Maidenhair Fern

Maidenhead Fern is one of the most attractive ferns that grow in the Eastern woodlands. This lovely fern has many medical uses, both internally and externally. The leaves as well as the toots were used by many Native American communities. In addition to its Native American history, Maidenhair fern also played a minor role in the Appalachian folklore that states..."If a maiden handles the stem and the leaves don't flicker, her virtue is assured."

About Maidenhead Fern

Adiantum pedatum or Northern Maidenhead fern is found in the humus-rich, moist eastern deciduous forests throughout New England and eastern North America. Like other ferns in this genus, it can be identified by its straight slender, wiry, smooth, shiny stem that is red-black, dark brown, dark purple, or black. The fronds or leaves are flat and arranged in a horseshoe pattern and can grow up to 16 inches in length and 10 inches wide. The leaflets are divided into groups of two to nine and are located on the outer curve of the rachis. Each leaflet is bluish-green. The sub-leaflets are numerous, fan-shaped, and alternately arranged. They have membranes and the leaflets are incised on their upper edge. Spores or fruit dots are located on the underside of the sub-leaflets that form white, yellow-green, or grey-brown indusium (a flap of tissue) that protect the sori (spores) of this fern. The spores are black and microscopic and are produced from July through September. Its slender rhizomes branch out horizontally. The roots are fibrous and found near the growing end of the rhizomes.

Medicinal Uses

The most common use of this fern by many Native American communities was to treat rheumatism by making a decoction of the roots and applying it to the affected area. Some communities made a tea of the roots and took it to treat rheumatism. There were many other medicinal uses for the Northern Maidenhair Fern. For example, the  Cherokee make a decoction of the entire plant and used it as an emetic in cases of fever. They also smoked powdered leaves for heart trouble and sniffed them for asthma. The Costanoan made a decoction of the entire plant and drank it to treat stomach trouble. The Hesquiat chewed the green fronds for shortness of breath. They also made an infusion of the ashes of the dried fronds with other herbs and took it to increase endurance. This infusion was often used by dancers in the winter who would take nothing but this infusion on the day that they were dancing to make them light on their feet. The Iroquois made a compound decoction of the entire plant and gave it to children for cramps.  They also made an infusion of this fern to induce vomiting as a remedy for love medicine. The Iroquois also used a poultice of wet, smashed fronds to treat snakebites. The Iroquois and Menominee made a decoction of roots and gave it to women as a gynecological aid.

Cultural Uses 

The Potawatomi used the black stems of this fern as a hunting charm to bring about good luck. The Pomo would insert a stem in a pierced earlobe to prevent the piercing from closing. The Makah and  Kwakiutl use the stems for black color in making baskets. The Maidu used stalks as a decorative overlay twine when making baskets. The Kwakiutl use fronds to line baskets and other containers. The Karok use stems to decorate Jump Dresses. 

Did You Know

The generic name, Adiantum, is Greek for “unwettable”, “unwetted”, or “without wetting”, which refers to the foliage repelling or shedding raindrops and not getting wet. The specific epithet, pedatum, is Greek for “foot-like.” This refers to the branching pattern of the fern’s fronds. 

The common name, Northern Maidenhair, probably refers to the fine, delicate root hairs. 

Other common names are American Maidenhair, Canada Maidenhair, Common Maidenhair, Five-fingered Fern, Five-fingered Maidenhair, Hair Fern, Lockhair Fern, Maiden Fern, Northern Maidenhair Fern, Rock Fern, and Sweet Fern.