Species Pteridium aquilinum (Western Brackenfern, Bracken, Bracken Fern, Western Bracken Fern) | Known

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Names

Scientific name: Pteridium aquilinum
Common name: Western Brackenfern, Bracken, Bracken Fern, Western Bracken Fern

Measurements

Height: 1 - 10 ft
Spread: 1 - 10 ft
Spacing: 36 in
Growth Rate: Moderate

Requirements

Hardiness zones: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Soil Drainage: Moist but Well-drained
Soil type: Loam, Sand
Soil pH: Strongly acidic (5.1 - 5.5), Moderately acidic (5.6 - 6.0), Slightly acidic (6.1 - 6.5), Neutral (6.6 - 7.3)

Physical Traits

Lifecycle: Perennial
Leaf lifecycle: Deciduous
Foliage color: Medium Green, Dark Green
Fall foliage: Brown
Bloom time: Late Spring, Summer
Bloom color: None
Seasons of interest: Spring, Summer
Propagation methods: Spores, Division
Attracts: Birds, Hummingbirds, Bees, Butterflies

Toxicity

Toxic to humans: Yes
Toxic to dogs: Yes
Toxic to cats: Yes

Taxonomy

Taxonomic Rank: Species
Author: (L.) Kuhn
Publication: Reis. Ost-Afrika 3(3): 11 (1879)

Superior Taxa

Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Pteridobiotina
Phylum: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Subclass: Polypodiidae
Order: Polypodiales
Family: Dennstaedtiaceae
Genus: Pteridium

Synonyms

Allosorus acutifolius Allosorus capensis Cincinalis gleditschii Paesia aquilina Pteridium heredia Cincinalis aquilina Pteris borealis Pteris brevipes Pteris firma Pteris foemina Pteris gardneri Pteris heredia Pteris nudicaulis Pteris aquilina Allosorus aquilinus Ornithopteris aquilina Filix aquilina Asplenium aquilinum Pteris aquilina f. glabrior Pteridium aquilinum var. lanuginosum Pteris aquilina var. languinosa Polypodium austriacum Filix-foemina aquilina Pteridium aquilinum var. lanuginosum Pteridium aquilinum var. aquilinum Pteridium aquilinum subsp. typicum Pteridium aquilinum subsp. brevipes Pteridium tauricum Pteris recurvata Pteridium aquilinum subsp. aquilinum Onychium capense Pteridium aquilinum subsp. atlanticum Pteridium aquilinum subsp. herediae Pteridium aquilinum subsp. fulvum Pteridium pinetorum subsp. osmundaceum Pteridium pinetorum subsp. sibiricum Pteris aquilina var. transcaucasica Pteridium aquilinum var. osmundaceum Pteridium aquilinum f. pubescens Allosorus villosus Cincinalis lanuginosa Filix-foemina vulgaris Pteridium ceheginense Pteris auriculata Eupteris aquilina Allosorus tauricus Pteridium aquilinum subsp. tauricum Pteridium pinetorum subsp. sajanense

References

Pteridium aquilinum - Plant Finder, Missouri Botanical Garden, https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=285684, accessed November 9, 2024

Pteridium aquilinum (Western bracken fern) | Native Plants of North America, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ptaq, accessed November 9, 2024

Pteridium aquilinum (bracken fern): Go Botany, Native Plant Trust, https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/pteridium/aquilinum/, accessed November 9, 2024

Pteridium aquilinum Calflora, Calflora, https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=10284, accessed November 9, 2024

Pteridium aquilinum, U.S. Forest Service, https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/fern/pteaqu/all.html, accessed November 9, 2024

Pteridium aquilinum (Bracken): Minnesota Wildflowers, Minnesota Wildflowers, https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/fern/bracken, accessed November 9, 2024

World Flora Online, http://www.worldfloraonline.org/, accessed June 20, 2024