Brake Ferns for your garden

Thursday, September 22

Brake fern is also called Pteridium aquilinum and is light green to dark green in color. These ferns mostly grow on rocks in the tropical and sub tropical regions. Brake ferns are of many varieties and are suitable to grow near ponds or areas where the soil gets adequate water. They can be planted in pots as well.

The brake fern have triangular shaped fronds and can grow about 2-4 feet long and can spread about 1 to 3 feet. Some of the brake ferns are used for medicinal purposes and some are said to be poisonous as well. It is advisable to grow them where they can be out of reach for children.

The leaves are coarse textured and are consumed by cattle and horses. The leaves of this plant remain green throughout the year making it a perennial plant. The brake fern or Pteridium aquilinum can grow in sandy, acidic and rocky terrain. The stem of this plant is a little hairy and is U or O shaped in cross section. The stems are usually rigid and grooved like the leaf.

The roots of Brake Fern dig into the soil up to 10 feet deep. These roots are scaly and are black in color. They have an active growth during the spring and summer season. The Brake Fern or Pteridium aquilinum are generally erect and have a moderate life span. These ferns have survived in temperatures as low as -43 °F. They can grow in soils which have a pH level of 4.5 – 7.0.

These plants can be grown indoors in partial sunlight or even no sunlight. The average height of this plant can be up to 4 feet. You can grow this plant in your home garden with dry and woody plants or trees so that it acts as a groundcover and enhances the look of your garden.