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Pteridium aquilinum - (L.)Kuhn.

Bracken

Author	(L.)Kuhn.	Botanical references	17, 200
Family	Polypodiaceae	Genus	Pteridium
Synonyms	Pteris aquilina - L.
Known Hazards	There are a number of reports regarding the possible health risks of this plant. The huge quantity of spores released by large areas of bracken are suggested to be implicated in stomach cancers. A recent study suggests that this is not such a problem in Britain as was once believed, the spores are not produced in such high quantities nor do they travel so far due to our normally humid atmosphere. The leaves and roots contain substances that deprive the body of vitamin B1 if they are eaten raw, though they are possibly alright cooked[102]. The leaves are also said to be carcinogenic[65, 76].
Range	Most areas of the globe, including Britain, but absent from the Arctic and temperate S. America.
Habitat	Heath, woodland and grassland. A common and highly invasive weed of acid soils[9], it is rarely found on limestone or wet peats[17].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Fern growing to 1.2m by 2m at a fast rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Meadow;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves; Root.

Edible Uses: Sweetener.

Root - cooked. It can be dried and ground into a powder[2, 13, 46, 55, 66, 94, 95, 102, 257]. The root is very fibrous so traditionally it was baked after being dried, the outer skin was peeled off and the roots pounded into a powder with sticks so that the inner fibres could be removed[173, 256]. The dried root will store for years[173]. The root contains 60% starch[74]. The dry weight content of starch is between 43 and 72%[173]. This starch can be extracted from the roots and is used in making dumplings which are eaten with soya flour and sugar as a delicacy[183]. The root has a somewhat constipating effect upon the body so is best eaten with foods that have a laxative quality[256]. Young shoots, harvested when still unfurling, can be eaten raw or cooked[2, 13, 55, 62, 94, 102, 183, 257]. They can be used like asparagus or like spinach[9, 257]. Somewhat flavourless, though they are considered to be a delicacy in Japan[4]. The fronds should be used when less than 20cm long, longer ones have a terrible taste[9, 213]. The shoots are somewhat bitter so they are often blanched for a few minutes in boiling water, then left to soak in cold water for two hours before being cooked[4, 9]. Although this might well improve the flavour, it will greatly reduce the nutritional value[K]. The shoots should be steeped in lye first[55]. Occasional use should cause no problems, but regular consumption is not advisable because the shoots might be carcinogenic[9, 65]. The plant yields an edible saccharine substance[55]. (from the cooking root??).

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Anthelmintic; Antiemetic; Antiseptic; Diuretic; Poultice; Refrigerant; Tonic.

The young shoots are diuretic, refrigerant and vermifuge[4, 46, 94, 218]. They have been eaten as a treatment for cancer[257]. The leaves have been used in a steam bath as a treatment for arthritis[257]. A decoction of the plant as been used in the treatment of tuberculosis[257]. A poultice of the pounded fronds and leaves has been used to treat sores of any type and also to bind broken bones in place[257]. The root is antiemetic, antiseptic, appetizer and tonic[257]. A tincture of the root in wine is used in the treatment of rheumatism[218]. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of stomach cramps, chest pains, internal bleeding, diarrhoea, colds and also to expel worms[4, 46, 94, 222, 257]. The poulticed root is applied to sores, burns and caked breasts[222, 257].

Other Uses

Adhesive; Basketry; Biomass; Compost; Dye; Hair; Lining; Mulch; Packing; Repellent; Soap; Soap making; Stuffing; Thatching; Tinder.

A glue can be made from the rootstock[74]. A brown dye is obtained from the fronds[6, 67, 141]. It is green according to another report[141]. The fibrous remnants from edible roots make a good tinder[99]. The rhizome lathers readily in water and can be used as a soap[74]. A decoction of the root has been used as a hair wash[257]. The roots have been rubbed into the scalp in order to promote hair growth[257]. The roots have been pounded to remove the bark, then split into flat bands and used as the black strands of cheap baskets[257]. The ashes of the plant are rich in potassium and could be used as a fertilizer[4]. They are also used in the manufacture of glass (when mixed with sand) and in making soap (when mixed with vegetable oil)[4, 74]. The roots contain up to 20% potash in early summer, but this reduces to about 5% in the autumn[4]. The whole plant is a very valuable addition to the compost heap, it is rich in potash and makes an excellent compost for tree seeds[67, 94]. Cut twice a year if you want the plants to continue growing, three cuts annually will weaken and eventually kill off the plants. The dried ferns produce a very durable thatch[4]. The leaves are used as a packing material for fruit, keeping it fresh and cool without imparting any colour or flavour[4, 66, 99]. They are also used as a lining for baskets, fruit drying racks etc and as a bedding[66, 99]. The leaves repel insects and can help to prevent rot in the fruits etc[99]. Dried bracken fronds are very useful in the garden as a mulch for somewhat tender plants. This will keep the soil warmer, protect from wind damage and also keep off some of the rain[4, K].

Cultivation details

Prefers a light, acid, deep sandy soil[1]. Dislikes shade according to some reports[13, 17] whilst another says that it tolerates full sun but prefers light shade[200]. Prefers a pH in the range 4 to 6[200]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233]. This is an extremely invasive plant and is a noxious weed. It is one of the most widespread plants in the world, being found in all parts of the globe other than the extreme north and south[4]. Plants can be cut down twice a year to provide compost material, this will not kill the plants. If the plants are cut down three times a year this will gradually weaken and eventually kill them.

Propagation

Spores can be surface sown in the same way as other ferns but this plant really does not need any help in spreading itself about. Division is also possible but usually totally unnecessary.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Soap Plants.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[6] Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana 1979 ISBN 0-00-635555-2
Details on some of the useful wild plants of Britain. Poor on pictures but otherwise very good.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[55] Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973
Interesting reading.

[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[66] Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985 ISBN 0-946284-51-2
Very readable, giving details on plant uses based on the authors own experiences.

[67] Ahrendt. Berberis and Mahonia. Journal of the Linnean Society, 57 1961
Not for the casual reader, it lists all the known species in these two genera together with botanic descriptions and other relevant details for the botanist.

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[76] Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984 ISBN 0112425291
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.

[94] Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962 ISBN 0-911010-54-8
Useful wild plants in Western N. America. A pocket guide.

[95] Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976 ISBN 0-486-23310-3
Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.

[99] Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7
Excellent and readable guide.

[102] Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979 ISBN 0-394-72811-4
Another guide to the wild foods of America.

[141] Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986 ISBN 0704909820
Some suggested alternative commercial crops for Britain. Readable. Produced by a University study group.

[173] Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990 ISBN 0-340-508302
A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[256] Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1
Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Pteridium aquilinum

peter.l.lewis Tue Nov 9 10:59:50 2004

Live on a holiday caravan park and surrounded with this Bracken(Pteridium aguilium) and a high degree of residets in autumn complain of,sneezing, also of allegy type symptoms.It may be irrelevent but we have 5 cases of cancer (two have died).

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