Fern in a window

Posted by MadScientist (Düsseldorf, Germany) on 12 January 2008 in Plant & Nature.

Maybe it's somewhat wacky to grow Pteridium Aquilinum (bracken fern) in a pot. This is not necessarily the most beautiful fern, added to that it's quite poisonous when eaten. But this one is one of the first growers in spring and it's developing its fronds as if there was no tomorrow.
I only made the grey background white here.

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Comments (12)

Ina from Krugersdorp, South Africa

I don't think it's wacky. I think ferns look great in pots. Nice capture and closeup!

12 Jan 2008 6:45am

@Ina: This one indeed is rarely seen as a pot plant because many people consider it sort of weed. Well, not me :-) I'm a fern enthusiast and grow several different species (tropical and hardy). Thank you!

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

The leaves make a beautiful design. Lovely composition, MS.

12 Jan 2008 7:42am

@Michael Skorulski: Thank you very much. Hope it will well recover in spring!

Kelly from Ontario, United States

Very Nice. I really like the leaf formations.

12 Jan 2008 8:22am

@Kelly: Thank you! This one has really delicate fronds that are sweet with fresh hay.

Dang from Marietta, United States

Aww.. takes me back. My mom loved ferns of all types, and use to fill the house with them. Thanks for the memory.

12 Jan 2008 10:13am

@Dang: As you can see here, I'm quite serious about ferns (that's my private website). :-)

juant3 from Bremen, Germany

Very nice shot portraying only the silhouettes of the fern! I most agree with the others that Ferns in a pot is not wacky! They can be a beautiful addition to the green inside or outside. I, myself, like to plant them on terracotta pots and place them on the porch.

--> Thanks for your comments on my blog and for sharing your website here! It is very interesting!

12 Jan 2008 12:28pm

@juant3: Thanks for the praise, mate! I love this fern because of its beauty and longevity: there are specimens in the wild that are more than 1000 years old; their rhizomes just grow further. It's as beautiful as interesting!

kati from tehran, Iran

very good

12 Jan 2008 4:16pm

@kati: Thank you :-)

Laurie from New Jersey, United States

Excellent! I love the pattern the fern creates.

12 Jan 2008 5:10pm

@Laurie: Thank you! By the way, this is just a very small part of the whole plant :)

Michael from Wuppertal, Germany

Klasse! Farn hat mich schon als Kind faszineirt. SInd die eigentlich als Pflanze sehr anspruchsvoll oder kann man die problemlos in der Wohnung halten?

12 Jan 2008 5:49pm

@Michael: Wie immer: es kommt darauf an! Mit einem Schwertfarn (aka 'Boston fern', Nephrolepis exaltata) oder einem Nestfarn ('Birds nets fern', Asplenium nidus) am Ost- oder Nordfenster kannst Du drinnen nicht viel falsch machen. Regelmäßig gießen, aber nicht absaufen lassen. Für den Garten kannst Du einen beliebigen im Handel als 'Freilandfarn' erhältlichen Farn ausprobieren (schattig, aber nicht duster und nicht zu naß), also irgendwas aus den Gattungen Dryopteris, Adiantum, Polypodium etc. Mehr dazu hier.