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Ferns

Cystopteris fragilis

brittle bladder fern

Clump-forming, deciduous fern about 20cm tall, with upright rhizomes and tufts of lance-shaped pale, grey-green fronds to 45cm long, with segments sharply pointed at the tips

Other common names

brittle fern
fragile fern

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Woodsiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Tufted
Genus: A diverse genus of rhizomatous, perennial ferns known as bladderferns or fragile ferns. Their appearance can vary greatly across species making it hard to identify them, but they generally have green, pinnate foliage and rounded, inflated spores (sori)
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade with shelter from cold, drying winds

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or plant bulbils in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Rock garden
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Tidy spent leaves in autumn

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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