HARDY FERN FOUNDATION

Name

HARDY FERN FOUNDATION

Legal name

The Hardy Fern Foundation

Website

https://hardyferns.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticultural Education and Conservation

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Forest Nurseries, Seed Orchards & Genetic Improvement (AFAMAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seed Testing, Treatment & Certification Services (AFAMADAI), Forest Seed Orchards & Breeding Programs (AFAMADAB)

Keywords

• Fern horticulture education
• Botanical garden nonprofit
• Plant conservation society
• Garden tour events
• Member-based nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Federal Way

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees that provide free year-round admission to Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, access to spore exchange, member pricing on events, quarterly newsletters, and exclusive member-only content.
2. Event Fees: Revenue from educational events including garden tours, workshops, webinars, and Fern Fest. Events are priced with member discounts and non-member rates ranging from $12 to $45.
3. Merchandise and Publications: Sales of publications including the Fern Propagation Handbook ($10), special topic issues ($12), and merchandise through the online shop.
4. Spore Exchange: Access to fern spore exchange through American Fern Society partnership for members, with order limitations and pricing as specified by the AFS website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Hardy Fern Foundation is a nonprofit organization that introduces and tests the world's temperate ferns for hardiness and ornamental value, building comprehensive collections for public display, information, and education. It sells an annual membership that grants access to a fern species database, a spore exchange (run jointly with the American Fern Society), a quarterly newsletter, ticketed garden tours and educational events, and printed publications on fern propagation and cultivation.

Product overview

The Hardy Fern Foundation is a nonprofit organization operating as a single unified offering focused on fern education, conservation, and community engagement. Its core products include an online Fern Database for species information, a Spore Exchange program (operated jointly with the American Fern Society), and the HFF Quarterly Newsletter with historical archives dating to 1990. The organization sells Publications including the Fern Propagation Handbook, 20th Anniversary "How To" Special Issue, and Spring 2005 Special Publication on Hardy Garden Ferns. Special Events and Garden Tours are offered as ticketed experiences, and a Membership Program provides benefits including garden access and spore exchange eligibility. The portfolio operates as a membership-based nonprofit rather than a commercial software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fern Database Online searchable database of fern species with information on hardiness, cultural requirements, and ornamental value, available for public education and member reference.
• Spore Exchange
• HFF Quarterly Newsletter Quarterly newsletter containing fern cultivation articles, garden reports, fern species descriptions, and society news, with archives spanning from 1990 to present and included with membership.
• Fern Propagation Handbook 42-page printed booklet sold for $10 covering fern reproduction techniques including spore collection, propagation methods, tissue culture, and gametophyte and sporophyte phases.
• 20th Anniversary "How To" Special Issue Special publication sold for $12 featuring practical guides on starting fern gardens, building limestone cobbles, fern bogs, stumperies, container gardening, and winter care for tree ferns.
• Spring 2005 Special Publication on Hardy Garden Ferns Special publication sold for $12 with personal evaluations and recommendations for using ferns in various climates and exposures throughout the United States.
• Special Events and Garden Tours Ticketed events including garden tours (West Seattle, Fox Island, Vashon Island, Kubota Garden, Miller Garden, Amazon Spheres), educational classes (Fern ID, Propagation from Spore), and the annual Fern Fest festival, with member and non-member pricing tiers.
• Membership Program Annual membership program providing subscribers with the quarterly newsletter, free year-round admission to Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, access to the spore exchange, fall fern sale invitations, and special event access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Testing temperate ferns from around the world for hardiness and ornamental value in Pacific Northwest conditions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• American Fern SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Spore Exchange program allowing HFF members to access fern spores through the American Fern Society website. Spores are donated from HFF's headquarters garden at Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden and from sources globally. The partnership provides unique access to rare fern varieties not available commercially.
• British Pteridological SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for joint webinars and educational content. Collaborated on presentations such as the Jones Nature Prints webinar series featuring historic Victorian fern prints.
• Dutch Fern SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for joint webinars and educational content, including presentations on fern collection and propagation at Bokrijk Arboretum in Belgium.
• Rhododendron Species Botanical GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for HFF primary study garden and headquarters. The foundation maintains comprehensive fern collections for public display, research, and education at this location in Federal Way, WA.
• Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate garden relationship with executive director Richie Steffen serving as HFF Vice President. The garden hosts HFF tours and maintains extensive fern collections.
• AmazonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHFF organizes and promotes docent-led tours of Amazon Spheres in Seattle for members and the public, with ticket sales through the HFF website.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Horticultural Society: The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK's leading horticultural nonprofit with membership, publications, gardens, and extensive educational programming. Comparable in operating model as a member-supported horticultural education organization, though far larger and broader in scope than HFF's fern specialization.
• American Horticultural Society: The American Horticultural Society is a US national nonprofit advancing horticulture through education, publications, and programs. Comparable as a member-supported horticultural education nonprofit, though broader in scope than HFF's fern specialization.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the oldest US botanical gardens with major plant collections, research, and member-supported educational programs. Comparable as a nonprofit botanical institution with horticultural research and member services.
• Longwood Gardens: Longwood Gardens is a large US public garden with extensive plant collections, educational programming, and membership model. Comparable as a nonprofit operating public display gardens with membership-supported programming, though at significantly larger scale than HFF.
• Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, FL is a nonprofit botanical garden with a strong research and collection focus including significant fern and epiphyte holdings. Comparable as a specialty-focused botanical garden with public display, research, and member-supported programming.
• New York Botanical Garden: NYBG is a major US botanical garden with extensive plant collections (including ferns), research programs, publications, and member-supported programming. Comparable as a nonprofit operating public display gardens with horticultural research and member education.

Direct peers

• Dutch Fern Society: The Nederlandse Varenvereniging is another international fern society that collaborates with HFF on educational webinars. Comparable in mission and structure as a fern-specialist nonprofit with member-driven events and publications.
• Northwest Horticultural Society: A Pacific Northwest regional horticultural nonprofit whose past president (Richie Steffen) also leads HFF. Comparable in structure as a member-driven horticultural education organization with overlapping leadership and event programming.
• British Pteridological Society: The British Pteridological Society is an international counterpart — a UK-based nonprofit focused on ferns that partners with HFF on joint webinars and educational content. Both serve enthusiast members with publications, events, and species information.
• American Fern Society: The American Fern Society is the closest direct peer — a US-based nonprofit dedicated to ferns that operates HFF's joint spore exchange program. Both organizations share a fern-specific education mission, membership model, and quarterly publication cadence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hardyfernfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/hardyfernfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hardy-fern-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HARDY FERN FOUNDATION