TN Nurseries best selling ferns
Bracken fern
Christmas fern
New York fern
Glade fern
Brake Fern - A.K.A. Pteris Cretica
The Brake Fern, Pteris Cretica, also known as the Table Fern, is only one of about 300 ferns in the Pteridoidae subfamily. The Brake Fern is a slow-growing fern originating in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Southern Mediterranean. Depending on the Brake Fern variety, it will grow to be 6” to 2.5’ tall.
Different variegations distinguish the different species of the brake ferns in their frond shape and frond color, from robust colored fronds to fronds with various colored stripes down the center of them (from creamy white to bright white stripes) and from upright fronds to fronds with frilly tips. Healthy ferns will have spores along the edges, which are tiny seeds that you can use for propagating.
Go beyond and plant Brake Ferns today
For a happy, healthy Brake Fern, there are specific light, humidity, temperature, and soil requirements that the fern needs. Place your Brake Fern on a table or a stand in a window that gets the most bright, indirect sunlight, as the greenery craves indirect, bright sunlight all year round (hence the name Table Fern). If you do not have a window with a decent amount of sun all year round, the fern will thrive well under fluorescent lighting. The Brake Fern needs 50% relative humidity. If your house has less relative humidity than 50%, place the potted fern on a tray of wet pebbles and mist the fronds regularly with room temperature water. Your Brake Fern will feel most at home with warm daytime temperatures of 60*-70* and cold nights of 50*-55*. The fern thrives best in good potting soil that is mixed with perlite for proper drainage.
Brake Ferns rarely need to be repotted or divided, as they love compact conditions. You can keep the fern compact by cutting off tall fronds at the base, so new ones will grow and take their place. When cutting the fronds, use sharp knives, and cut as close to the bottom of the stalk as possible. If you have to report the fern, it is best to do it in the spring. When repotting, keep the crown of the greenery above the soil line. Make sure the pot has drainage holes to avoid soggy soil. Remember to be careful with the Brake Fern, as its fronds are delicate and can break off easily.
