Lochaber Ferns

[Thomas Cameron]

Here's a difficult question for any would-be plant experts out there. Does anyone know some of the names of the ferns that grow wild throughout beautiful Lochaber? I'm trying to find out what their botanical names are, to see whether some might be tolerant to the weather here in the Midwestern U.S.

As anyone who has visited "Cameron Country" can confirm, the ferns of Lochaber add a wonderful "greener than green" tone to the countryside.

If anyone could help with this most unusual query I and my backyard would appreciate it!

[marslaidh]

I wonder if maybe you are referring to bracken, which looks ferny?

[Thomas Cameron]

Hi,

Yes, "braken" is what I was referencing. I've always gone by the name "fern," but we're talking about the same thing.

Anyhow, does anyone have a good source of information on these impressive Highland plants?? I have heard that braken is considered a weed, of sorts, in Scotland, but here in the U.S. it would be something unusual in a backyard landscaping project...

[marslaidh]

Gosh, that would be like planting morning glory or honeysuckle in the Midwest! You might start something you'd be cussed-out for in the future!

[Thomas Cameron]

I was able to find out a wee bit about bracken/or ferns in general, which might interest the message center readers (it will be lengthy, so be warned!)

First and foremost, and this is a warning to anyone considering planting a Bracken Fern:

ALL PARTS OF THE PLANT, INCLUDING THE SPORES, ARE CARCINOGENIC, AND FACE MASKS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE WORKING IN DENSE BRACKEN! While it is used as a food source and herbal remedy in many countries, there are also many cautions related to this plant. Young leaves of Bracken Fern have been used as a human food source, especially in Japan, and may be linked to increased incidence of stomach cancer. A single, fertile frond can produce 300,000,000 spores annually (in August and September.) Anyone hiking in the bracken-laden Highlands of Scotland during these months should at the very least know about the potential dangers, and while the inhailing the spores is not a major documented danger, they should avoid the urge to graze upon the gigantic ferns!! ;D

Anyhow, getting back to describing the plant, "Bracken" is an old English word for all large ferns, eventually applied to the species "Pteridium aquilinum" (Bracken Fern) in particular. Other common names include: Brake, Brake Fern, Eagle Fern, Female Fern, Fiddlehead, Hog Brake, Pasture Brake, Western Brackenfern.

The Bracken Fern is a large, deciduous, rhizomatous fern with fronds 1'-3' with a leaf stalk up to 3'' but usually shorter than leaf blade. Fronds are killed by frost each winter and new fronds grow in spring. It is a large, coarse, perennial fern that has almost horizontal leaves and can grow 1½ to 6½ feet tall (sometimes up to 10 feet). Bracken Fern is resistant to many herbicides and is tolerant of various forms of mechanical control. However, effective control has been obtained by repeated removal of aboveground growth, which eventually exhausts the food reserves in the rhizomes.

Fossil evidence suggests that bracken fern has had at least 55 million years to evolve. It succeeds on sites that would be too dry for most ferns, and its distribution does not normally seem limited by moisture. Grows best on deep, well-drained soils with good water-holding capacity.

Bracken Ferns were considered so valuable during the Middle Ages that they were used to pay rents. It was used as roofing thatch and as fuel when a quick hot fire was desired. The ash was used as a source of potash in the soap and glass industry until 1860 and for making soap and bleach. The rhizomes were used in tanning leathers and to dye wool yellow (now we know another source for yellow dye in the Highlands of yesteryear.) Bracken is still used for winter livestock bedding in parts of Wales since it is more absorbent, warmer, and easier to handle than straw, and is also used as a green mulch and compost.

It was once thought that if the spores of the Bracken Fern were gathered on St. John's Eve, it would make the possessor invisible. In the 17th century live brackenfern was set on fire in hopes of producing rain.

My conclusion is that I believe that smaller ferns would be advisable for any backyard gardening project. Although a few carefully planted and maintained Bracken Ferns might look good, odds are they might overwhelm a garden area, and then there's the pesky carcinogin risk... Amazing what a simple message board query can uncover, eh??

[marslaidh]

Wow!!!!

[Thomas Cameron]

I know, who would have thought... Anyone remotely interested in planting some ferns might wish to consider the "Ostrich Fern," which according to a Nova Scotia governmental website is 100% non-toxic, with no related health risks.

Amazes me still, a mere fern being such a risk...

[Ailean Glas]

Tom,
I'll have to stop calling you "Thammais an Computer" and start calling you "Thammais an Botanist"

Nollaig Cridheil a Thammais an Toiseach na Computer!
Ailean glas.

[Thomas Cameron]

Hi Alan,

Botanist? There's a new one!! ;D Though I am a bit of a "tree hugger" at heart. In college, as a summer job, I worked for our county's forest preserve district and was fortunate enough to plant approximately 2000 tree seedlings (back nearly 20 years ago.) I just happen to drive past that preserve every month or so, and am amazed at how they have grown...makes you "feel your age!"

Anyhow, the bracken ferns are amazing plants, but I think that they'll have to be removed from the backyard landscaping project plans. I did however obtain a Scotch Pine, which is growing right now at the top a small knoll I built up this year. For anyone wanting to know , the Spanish strain of the Scotch Pine is said to be a near relation to the Caledonian Scotch Pine variety, and there is a mail order firm in the U.S. which carries them... Here's hoping that the rabbits avoid it (though I did fence the wee tree, so that the pesky varmits can't chew it up - like they try on everything by us!)

Above and beyond the tree talk, I wanted to wish you the best of holidays. Remember, keep on the watch for material for the Archives - I know you can find us some great stuff!!

Nollaig Cridheil right back at'cha!

[Kiddo]

Tom: ;D Slow me just now read your treatise on ferns and I was wondering if you might know where to obtain another of the plants I saw while in Fort William. Someone told me the name and now I cannot remember it but the plant looks absolutely prehistoric. Very tall, 6 footish, with leaves maybe 3 feet across. It's structure resembles a caladium in that all the leaf stems come from a cluster at ground. Seems that the name is "Gigantis Manicata" but the Gigantis is not correct. Manicata is correct. Can you help me?

Kiddo

[Kiddo]

Hi!! Me again! I just remembered the name of that plant. Gunera Manicata. I find it pictured on some of the botanical websites but have been unable to find out where I can purchase either a plant or seeds.

Can you assist??

[Thomas Cameron]

I'll take a look around, but if the search engines came up empty, odds are so will I. If I have any luck I'll post the information here.

From what I've seen it's quite an interesting plant. If you find it, please post where you got it, so that our other readers can also look into obtaining one!!

[Kiddo]

You can find a description, text only, at botany.com and a photo only at gardeningtips.org/September/photos/6.shtml. I fell in love with the plant when I saw it and would like very much to have it in my garden. Hopefully you will have better luck than I.

Thanks.

[FoundlingOfDollar]

Perhaps you could help my satisfy my curiosity. When I visited Dollar, Clackmanshire (the origin of my family name), we visited the castle there. It was December, and the hillside was covered in a lovely rust-red colored low shrub. I didn't see any of it up-close, but it appeared to be pretty common. Does anyone know the name of this plant?

Thanks,

Jordan

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Jordan,

While it is impossible to know for sure - without seeing it - it sure sounds like you were looking at a hillside of heather.

John

[Nicole (hammyski)]

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Adelaarsvaren_planten_Pteridium_aquilinum.jpg/437px-Adelaarsvaren_planten_Pteridium_aquilinum.jpg

I didnt quite read all the way through, but heres an image of the Bracken Fern from wikipedia.

"It is a prolific and abundant plant in the highlands of British Isles. It causes such a problem of invading pastureland that at one time the British government had an eradication program. Special filters have even been used on some British water supplies to filter out the bracken spores." (Wikipedia)

it is very common in the Great NW of the US, and really is weedish. When I was growing up we had constantly spray and weed it from our horse pastures since they tend to eat it, and can make them sick, but little sprouts would always poke out pretty frequently. If this is what your looking for, beware because it spreads super fast! But I agree, it does look nice if you can maintain it

[Nicole (hammyski)]

I just realized your original post was from 2002, so im sure you've long forgotten about this, haha, disregard then!

[ianjonefan]

What coditions are best suited for growing heather? I could be wrong , but sometime back I heard , or read somewhere that heather is becoming an endangered plant speices. Could someone let me know one way , or enother?.

[SherbrookeJacobite]

Hi Jon,
I've just been cruising through the Board, trying to get caught up - while I certainly have very little knowledge of the plant kingdom, I do know that the Highlands of Scotland are covered with heather, and I can't imagine it being endangered. It also grows in North America is places, I know it grows wild in a number of areas in Canada.

Slainte,

John

[ianjonefan]

Whoever started that rumor must have been English . Thanks for setting me straight John .