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How are tree ferns different from conifers and flowering trees?

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Tall giant sequoia trees with reddish bark and thick trunks rise closely together in a dense forest at Sequoia National Park, California. — Tree A stand of giant sequoia trees (*Sequoiadendron giganteum*) in Sequoia National Park, California.

Tree ferns differ significantly from conifers and flowering trees (angiosperms) primarily in their reproductive methods and internal structure.

Reproductive Differences

Unlike conifers and flowering trees, which are seed plants, tree ferns are ferns that reproduce via spores rather than seeds. While conifers produce seeds in cones and flowering trees develop seeds within ovaries surrounded by fruit, tree ferns produce spores in clusters called sori on the undersides of their fronds.123

Structural Differences

The trunks of tree ferns are fundamentally different from the wood and bark found in seed-bearing trees. A tree fern’s trunk is composed of rhizomes that grow vertically, embedded in a dense mantle of adventitious roots. In contrast, conifers and flowering trees possess true wood and bark, which provide structural support and transport nutrients. Additionally, while most flowering trees contain specialized conducting tissues known as vessels, tree ferns lack these structures.12