Cystopteris fragilis

RHS Plant Profile
brittle bladder fern

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Other common names

brittle fern, fragile fern

Ferns
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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

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

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)
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

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