Ashy Red Fern

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 144 years old. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has numerous narrow, straight stems covered in delicate, cracked, light gray bark, and the wood inside is gray.

The branches trail down towards the ground with dozens of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of tiny, 9 pointed, leaves with irregular edges. The leaves themselves are pastel green at the bottom and green with ashy red lines at the top, delicate and waxy.

In early spring it produces many small, green flowers with spear shaped petals with a tube-like floral cup. They are hardy and have a soft scent that smells like freshly washed clothes.