The fronds may grow up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) long or longer with support, but typically are in the range of 0.6–2 m (2.0–6.6 ft) high. This rootstock may travel a metre or more underground between fronds. The plant sends up large, triangular fronds from a wide-creeping underground rootstock, and may form dense thickets. It is also one of the oldest ferns, with fossil records over 55 million years old having been found. īracken, like heather, is typically found in moorland environments, and is commonly referred to by local populations in the north of England as 'Moorland Scrub'. It is considered highly invasive, and can survive in acid soils. Like other ferns, brackens do not have seeds or fruits, but the immature fronds, known as fiddleheads, are sometimes eaten, although some are thought to be carcinogenic.Įvolutionarily, bracken may be considered one of the most successful ferns. In the past, the genus was commonly treated as having only one species, Pteridium aquilinum, but the recent trend is to subdivide it into about ten species. The word bracken is of Old Norse origin, related to Swedish bräken and Danish bregne, both meaning fern. The genus probably has the widest distribution of any fern in the world.

They are found on all continents except Antarctica and in all environments except deserts, though their typical habitat is moorland. Brackens are noted for their large, highly divided leaves. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs and sperm).

1814 ( Pteridaceae)īracken ( Pteridium) is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. For other uses, see Bracken (disambiguation).

Autumn woods cam