Bracken
Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens
Care
full sun, part shade
low
Fast, Medium; Prefers well drained loam.
3–7ft tall
Jun-Aug
Resistant
Young fiddleheads eaten cooked; traditional food
Widespread throughout California in woodlands, chaparral, and coastal areas, sea level to 8000 ft elevation.
Care Guide
Planting
Plant bracken in full sun to part shade in well-draining loam soil with fast to medium drainage - this is non-negotiable, as poor drainage will cause problems. Space plants according to their mature size of 3–7 feet tall. Plant in spring or early summer to give the fern time to establish before winter dormancy.
After Planting
Water regularly during the first growing season to establish the plant, then transition to low water once established - bracken is quite drought-tolerant once settled in. The fern will die back in winter (deciduous behavior), so don't panic when fronds disappear; new growth will emerge in spring. The #1 mistake is overwatering or planting in poorly draining soil, which rots the rhizomes.
Wildlife Supported
Insects
Larval development on brackenfern; critical host plant for this pteridophyte specialist
Larval host plant; specialist sawfly on ferns during growing season
Sap-feeding hemipteran specialized on fern fronds; active growing season
Predatory mirid beetle on fern foliage; active during fern growth period
Phytophagous true bug; specialized on pteridium and related ferns
Nesting in dense fern patches; provides shelter for early-season colonies
Mammals
Primary browse species in coastal scrub and oak woodland understory; particularly important winter forage when other vegetation limited
Birds
Forages among fronds for invertebrates; year-round California resident
Winter visitor; forages for small invertebrates in fern understory during irruptive winters
Introduced species; ground forager in dense vegetation including bracken understory
Introduced species established in California; forages in fern understory for invertebrates
Introduced species established in California coastal areas; forages among fronds for arthropods