The majority of ferns used in California landscapes are non-native and water-loving; low-water-use alternatives are rarely available. We're working to introduce five native, low-water-use fern species to the nursery trade that are uniquely adapted to California's Mediterranean climate.

Join us in conversation with Ashlee Armstrong, CalBG's Grounds Manager and leader of the Chaparral Fern Project supported by the Saratoga Horticultural Research Endowment. We'll discuss this multi-year project that has taken Ashlee and fellow staff out into the wilds of Southern California to collect these marvelous chaparral ferns and established them in test plots at CalBG. Ashlee will share progress on our horticultural trials aimed at testing the viability of chaparral ferns in the home landscape.

Lucinda McDade, Executive Director, will shed light on the ecology of these chaparral ferns including how they interact (or not) with herbivores.

You can keep up-to-date with our Chaparral Fern Project on the project's blog at: https://www.calbg.org/collections/chaparral-fern-project

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