| Maidenhair Ferns. Half-way thru the summer, a new center clump of fronds appear and then blacken. Is this a disease? |
| What you describe is perfectly natural. The fern is producing spores (reproductive organs). If you don't like the appearance of these fronds, you can cut them off without injuring the fern in any way. These fronds do not usually last as long as fronds without spores. |
