Pteris creticaCretan Brake Fern

Pteris cretica is the ribbon fern, distinguished by fronds divided into a few long narrow segments rather than the fine lacework of most ferns, which gives a planted mass an unusually clean, linear texture. The widely grown variegated forms carry a broad white band down the centre of each segment.

Its range runs from the Mediterranean across Africa and Asia, and unlike most ferns it is genuinely tolerant of alkaline and limestone soils, which widens its use considerably.

Specifications

• Height0.3 to 0.6 metres
• Width0.3 to 0.5 metres
• Native toWidespread across the Old World, from the Mediterranean through Africa and Asia
• FoliagePale to mid-green pinnate fronds divided into long ribbon-like segments, often with a white central band; evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilPrefers moist, humus-rich, free-draining soils and tolerates alkaline and limestone ground
• LightPartial shade to full shade
• WaterModerate; needs consistent moisture
• ClimateThrives in warm temperate and subtropical regions with shade and humidity

Additional Features

• UsesInterior planting, shaded courtyard beds, planters and shaded groundlayers
• SpacingPlant 0.3 to 0.4 metres apart for a closed cover
• Low MaintenanceRemove tired fronds at the end of winter; no other attention needed
• Pest ResistanceGenerally untroubled; scale appears occasionally on indoor plants
• FormClean, linear frond texture that reads differently from typical lacy ferns
• VersatilityOne of the few ferns that tolerates alkaline soil, so it suits limestone and made ground

The Cretan Brake Fern is a shade groundcover with an unusually clean texture and a rare tolerance of alkaline soil.