Mountain Bladder Fern
Cystopteris montana
Family: Dryopteridaceae
What it is like
Cystopteris montana is a deciduous Fern growing to 0.3 m (1ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. The seeds ripen from July to August. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Damp, usually basic, rocks on mountains, 700 - 1100 metres in Northern England and Scotland.
Northern, but not arctic, Europe, including Britain, east to Siberia. Also in northern N. America.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Root. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Prefers a shady position in a moist but well-drained soil, succeeding in most soil types. Plants can tolerate up to 4 hours direct sun per day. Prefers a pH between 6.5 and 7, but tolerates a range from 5.5 to 7.5. Prefers high humidity, plants die back early in dry seasons. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer. A very ornamental plant. Plants spread by means of a creeping rhizome.
Propagating it: Spores - best sown as soon as ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. Germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20°c.Pot on small clumps of plantlets as soon as they are large enough to handle and keep humid until they are well established. Do not plant outside until the ferns are at least 2 years old. Division in spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;
Habit: Fern
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Full shade, semi-shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable. Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase.