Lacy bracken fern
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Pteridium caudatum
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Dennstaedtiaceae
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Landscape Uses:
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Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. |
Ecological Restoration Notes: |
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Availability: |
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Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries. |
Description: |
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Large herbaceous fern. |
Height: |
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Typically 3-6 feet or more in height. Spreading from underground stems (rhizomes) and forming large dense patches. |
Growth Rate: |
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Moderate. |
Range: |
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Monroe County Keys north to Brevard, Highlands and Citrus counties; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. Rare in the Monroe County Keys and very rare or absent in the middle Keys. |
Habitats: |
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Pinelands. |
Soils: |
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Moist, well-drained limestone or sandy soils, usually without humusy top layer. |
Nutritional Requirements: |
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Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils. |
Salt Water Tolerance: |
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Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water. |
Salt Wind Tolerance: |
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Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. |
Drought Tolerance: |
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High; does not require any supplemental water once established. |
Light Requirements: |
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Full sun. |
Flower Color: |
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N/A. |
Flower Characteristics: |
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There are no flowers; the plants reproduce by spores. |
Flowering Season: |
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All year. |
Fruit: |
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Inconspicuous spores. |
Wildlife and Ecology: |
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Horticultural Notes: |
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Can be grown from spores and division. |
Comments: |
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It can be very aggressive in the garden; handle with care! |
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George D. Gann, 16 March 2015 Portion of frond in habitat, Everglades National Park Florida, USA
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George D. Gann emerging frond in habitat Everglades National Park, 2012
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