Adiantum pedatum, Maidenhair fern, is a delicate perennial that loves the shady, moist, Northern side of our home garden. In the wild, Maidenhair fern are often found growing out of the rock along waterfalls and streams, laden with the mist cast there by the flowing waters. In June 2004, I was honored to be visited by the now late Skokomish elder, Bruce Miller, who told me then as he walked along the path to our door, “these stems are ready to be harvested now”. He mentioned that when you look closely at a Maidenhair fern stem, and you begin to distinguish there is a black side, and a red side to it, then it’s time to harvest. Preparing this material for use in basketry design work is quite labor intensive, involving splitting and cleaning out the centers of each delicate piece. But there is a pleasing companionship between the striking contrast of the black or red (the red was usually considered the inferior quality side of the stem) against the buttery yellow of the cedar root, or NW sweetgrass, which were typically woven together in many traditional Salish baskets. The Maidenhair fern will always remind me of my hikes in the Olympics, especially along the “Tunnel Creek Trail”. And early June I especially remember the visit by this generous elder, eating homegrown spinach salad on our deck, he giving me ‘wild carrots’ to plant, and I giving him “wapato’ to plant. The plants and seasons hold important memories. Sharing what we know, brings these to life.
