Pteridium aquilinum - Bracken
Location - Longford Park/Manchester. Bracken is a native British perennial and can grow over 1.5 meters in height. It can be found growing almost all over the world; it can tolerate many soil types and climates.
This specimen was found growing just fine with a Prunus spp. in a raised planter, its fronds are ready to die back for winter and produce new ones in spring.
This specimen was found growing just fine with a Prunus spp. in a raised planter, its fronds are ready to die back for winter and produce new ones in spring.
The fronds contain carcinogens and should not be eaten by livestock or humans; they make good compost however but the stems shouldn't be used because they are too thick.
This plant reproduces by spores that are emitted into the air by the brown clusters of balls called sori; they are found underneath at the base of the fronds.
Triangular shaped fronds.
Thick bright green, robust stems; unlike the common growing characteristics of other ferns, bracken grows from the ground with single stout stems that produces lateral stems growing opposite each other.
