Bracken

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Bracken (lat. Pteridium) - winter-hardy shade-tolerant fern from the Dennstedtiye family. This fern received such an interesting name for the unusual shape of its leaves (from the Greek words aquila - eagle and pteris - wing).

Description

The bracken is a very beautiful fern, the height of which can reach one and a half meters. Large leaves of this fern, equipped with trifoliate rigid plates of feathery leaves, rise above the ground on bright green petioles. And its deep-lying branching rhizomes (often they go deep into the ground up to thirty to fifty centimeters) annually give an increase of about five to ten centimeters - it is this fact that determines the rather rapid growth of the bracken, as well as its impressive ability to form luxurious dense thickets.

Bracken leaves retain their juicy green color only until the beginning of the autumn season - with the first cold snaps they turn into no less spectacular bronze shades.

Where grows

Bracken is a cosmopolitan plant, quite widespread on all continents of our planet. It will not be difficult to see its thickets at logging sites or in the forest-tundra of Siberia, and in the midst of outlandish Australian bushes, and in dry European forests. Perhaps the bracken cannot be found only in the arctic, as well as in dry desert and steppe regions. And in Russia this is one of the most common ferns! It can be seen especially often in the Urals, the Far East, Siberia and on the territory of the European part of the country.

Usage

Bracken is an amazingly beautiful, undemanding, resistant and strong fern, actively used for planting in parks and gardens. However, when planting it there, it is important not to forget that it is very difficult to eradicate, and is also capable of capturing quite solid territories in the shortest possible time.

The bracken will look best when planted in groups with a variety of spring flowering plants. Snowdrops, anemone and corydalis will be an excellent decoration for areas still free from bracken leaves with the onset of early spring. The bracken also creates stunningly beautiful thickets on the semi-shady edges among the majestic pine trees. True, in all cases, it is recommended to dig in the borders of this fern, and also to lay in the resulting grooves materials that prevent further growth of its rhizomes (pieces of roofing material, slate, and so on).

And in Japan, Korea, China, on the islands of Polynesia, in a number of South African countries and even in some parts of Russia, young bracken shoots and leaves that have not yet had time to unfold, often called "snails", are actively used in food as a vegetable (like olives or asparagus). Quite often, they are fried, pre-soaked in salted water, and also harvested for future use both in pickled and salted form. And for the preparation of salads, seasonings or fillings, these shoots with leaves are also often actively used. Crushed dry bracken rhizomes are used in some regions for baking bread, and its baked rhizomes are an excellent delicacy. And with the addition of bracken, the famous Korean pancakes called chon are prepared!

The bracken has another very useful property - among other things, this plant is also used as a repellent against cockroaches, flies, bedbugs and spiders!

Growing and caring

In culture, bracken is completely undemanding: this fern prefers to grow on light and poor sandy soils, in addition, it does not suffer from drought at all. And bracken reproduction is carried out mainly by segments of rhizomes, and for this, both spring and the end of summer are equally well suited.