Collecting Plants

[Layna]

Is it illegal to collect plants from a park? I live in Ohio and we have wood areas with trails and stuff and I've notice we have ferns. They don't seem to get very big, so I'd like to try and grow one.

Also how would I go about collecting it?

Thanks!

[Pappy65]

If it's just ferns your after, I don't think that would be hurting anything. Not like your taking out dogwoods are anything like that.. Don't quote me on this though.
As for collecting them, you could just moisten paper towels well and wrap the roots up with them, put them in small dixie cups/or whatever. just keep some roots on them. I've had plants sit outside for week or so till I got a spot ready for planting, just keepem moist. Good luck

[Layna]

Cool thanks for the tip. I'll have to try that once the snow stops. I am not sure if I'll do it though, from what I noticed online that ferns arent' technically small...so I dunno, i'll have to read somemore on it.

[Dryn]

Please keep in mind that there are laws that prevent the collection of plants from certain areas. If there are trails, I imagine that it is a park, and therefore under these laws. Check with local Forestry departments before you collect protected specimens, please.

[Dryn]

On a different note, plants from the Northern American temperate forests require a chilling period in order to flourish. They will not grow in tropical terrariums long-term. The same goes for temperate mosses and bog plants (which I collect here from family land). I usually just leave my temperate tank outside during the winter months. Most of the plants die anyway, but some return.

[Pavel]

As has been noted, many times it is illegal to collect plants from parks -- & definitely DO NOT collect ladyslippers or trilliums

Since the woodland ferns will get large and must have a cold winter dormancy, collecting them for use in a terr/viv would not be very practical