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Ferns or bracken?

B3B3 Posts: 25,306
in Plants
I was given these plants in the spring and have grown them on. But before I proceed any futher, I would be grateful if someone could confirm that they aren't bracken
Thanks B





In London. Keen but lazy.

Posts

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    They look like bracken to me but it is still a fern. I have bracken in my own garden and like it. It has never been a problem. What are your concerns?
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,684
    Looks like a form of dryoptetis. If the back of the fronds has spore bodies then you can be sure it isn't bracken.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,034
    Bracken fronds look different from what you've got - they have a central stem with little fronds on opposite sides of the stem, mirroring each other.  If you look up pictures of bracken you'll see what I mean...  
    @hogweed - bracken is very invasive, and difficult to get rid of once it's established.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • B3B3 Posts: 25,306
    I thought it 'poisoned' the surrounding soil to stop other plants from growing nearby. Suburban myth??
    I noticed a few spores so I'll keep them in pots until next year.
    Thanks everyone
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    Bracken has fronds at the top of a stalk. Fern fronds grow straight from the base. Yours look like Dryopteris felix mas like mine. Given the right conditions the self set even though they're complicated to grow from spores. The one I have at the new house grew in a pot with some self set primroses and is planted on the north side of the house near an outside tap. I now have 3 small ferns growing under the tap because it is cool and damp. I like them but some people have commented that they are common and invasive.
  • B3B3 Posts: 25,306
    Ferns and primroses together. Wish it was common in my garden! @Joy*
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,469
    edited July 2019
    steephill said:
    Looks like a form of dryoptetis. If the back of the fronds has spore bodies then you can be sure it isn't bracken.
     Pteridium aquilinum (bracken or common bracken)  have spores.
    sori. as well...see pic below
    .
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracken#/media/File:Pteridium_leaf_kz1.jpg

    Ferns like Dryopteris look different on the back of the frond....with their sori.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=dryopteris+sori&client=firefox-b-d&channel=crow&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbjI-dl9PjAhUFu3EKHWzICtMQ_AUIESgB&biw=1920&bih=944
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    edited July 2019
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,251
    Not sure which fern, but definitely not bracken.
  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    These are my ferns. The small ones have grown from spores from the large fern over 3 years. There are 3 or 4 young ones. The big frond shows the spores on the reverse. The front garden is undergoing a redesign at the moment but the ferns and primroses will be staying. I haven't decided yet whether to split up the young ones. I won't be doing too much near the main fern in case there are more which aren't evident yet. They're obviously happy in their  north facing garden under the tap and near the drain from the kitchen sink etc. 
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