Pentagramma pallida

Frosty silverback fern, Frosty Silverback Fern

Family: Pteridaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Frosty silverback fern is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada, central Valley, and southern Coast Ranges in rocky granitic habitats at elevations of 100 to 1,200 meters. The fern displays a distinctive white exudate covering its dark brown to nearly black stipe and pale to olive green fronds. Growing with a compact rhizome that produces delicate fronds 2 to 8 centimeters long, this fern has a unique appearance characterized by its white powdery coating. Its fronds feature proximal pinnae extending 2 to 6 centimeters, with both leaf surfaces covered in a striking white exudate that gives the plant its frosty appearance. The plant's intricate structure includes white-scaled rhizome tips, creating a distinctive and delicate botanical specimen.

Habitat: Generally in or near granitic soil, rock, boulders

Elevation: 100-1200 m

Bioregions: CaRF, SN, ScV(?), SCoRI.

California counties: Madera, Tulare, Tuolumne, Fresno, Kern, Butte, Mariposa, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, San Benito, Calaveras, Stanislaus, Amador, Shasta, Lake

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.