Outdoor ferns

Question

I have a large fern bed that comes back every Spring. I live in Oklahoma & have cut them off now but there are quite a few spike type stems with seed looking things on the top that grow in kind of a spiral pattern. Do I need to leave these or can I cut them down also?

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Answer 1

You can cut these, although they contain spores. Ferns actually do not propagate by seed, rather, they send spores like a fungus would. Here is an article with more information: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/ferns/rusty-looking-fern-leaves.htm