Other common names
adder's spit, brake fern, eagle brake, eagle fern, fern of God, hog brake, pasture brake
Herbaceous Perennial
Britain's largest and most widespread native fern, with huge, finely divided leaves 1-2m tall and 1m across. Spreading by rhizomes, with roots up to a metre deep, it forms dense thickets, smothering most other vegetation, and can also spread by spores. Young shoots emerge curled at the tip and are known as croziers or fiddleheads, and in autumn the deciduous fronds turn a rich russet-brown
Position
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil Types
Clay, Loam, Sand
Max Height
1-1.5 metres
Max Spread
wider than 8 metres