Fronds

Fronds are the primitive leaves of ferns.

Some botanists have expanded this grouping to include palms and cycads. Frond can also refer to the leaflike body (thallus) of some seaweeds, but we don’t have these in our gardens!


Knowing the names of different parts can help you identify unknown plants in your garden and landscape.

Photo of Sago Palm (cycad) by Kate Russell

Parts of a frond

Like other leaves, each part of a frond has its own name. Below, you can see these names (and their counterparts) with a short description:

• stipe (petiole) - the stalk connecting the leaf to the main stem
• lamina (blade) - the flattened part of the leaf
• rachis (midvein) - the extension of the stipe into the lamina

Types of fronds

Fronds are described as simple (undivided), pinnatifid (with deep incisions but not compound), pinnate (compound to the point of looking like a feather), or compound. 

What ferns, palms, and cycads do you have in your garden?