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FernsHerbaceous Perennial

Cystopteris dickieana

Dickie's bladder fern

A deciduous, perennial fern that typically grows to a height and spread of between 10 and 45cm. It has pale green fronds that are delicate and feathery, with small, closely spaced leaflets that have finely toothed edges

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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

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full shade
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–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
Plant range: Northern Hemisphere

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 or spring or from spores when ripe

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Tidy spent leaves in autumn

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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