Narrow buckler fern
Dryopteris carthusiana

Family: Dryopteridaceae

What it is like

A small fern. It grows 60 cm high and spreads 30 cm wide. The fronds are triangle shaped in outline. They are delicate and divided 3 times. They are pale green in colour.

There are about 200 Dryopteris species. This one is a common glasshouse pest in Australia.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in damp, boggy places. In NW China it grows in mountain forests at about 2,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 6-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Europe, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North America, SE Asia, Singapore, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The young curled fronds are cooked and eaten. The old leaf stalks on the underground stem are cooked and the inner portion eaten.

Edible parts

Fronds, leaves, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Dryopteris maderensis; ? Polypodium carthusianum Villars;