Pteridium aquilinum Calflora

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Taxon Report

Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn

Western brackenfern

Pteridium aquilinum is a fern that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.


	Plant Range Observation Search ~4607 records in California Plant Characteristics

Bloom Period

Photos on Calflora


Subspecies and Varieties:
... var. pubescens
Genus:	Pteridium
Family:	Dennstaedtiaceae
Category:	fern
PLANTS group:	Fern
Jepson eFlora section: fern

Toxicity: Do not eat any part of this plant.

Wetlands: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands

Habitat: coastal

Communities: Coastal Strand, Coastal Sage Scrub, Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest, Subalpine Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant communities

Name Status:
Accepted by PLANTS + POWO

Information about Pteridium aquilinum from other sources


Nursery availability from CNPLX This plant is available commercially. USDA PLANTS Profile (PTAQ) Photos on Calflora Photos on CalPhotos Google Images Photos on iNaturalist ID Tips on PlantID.net	International Plants Names Index Search efloras.org (Flora of North America) Landscape information from Calscape BONAP Distribution Map Consortium of California Herbaria 2 Search the Native American Ethnobotany Database	Add an Observation Location Suitability Planting Guide Distribution by County
[Wikipedia] Reproduction: Sporangia are formed in sori on the underside of the frond.[5] They are arranged in narrow brown bands, and form spores over July, August and September.[6] (link added by Mary Ann Machi) photos / record / common / links

Suggested Citation

Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/ (Accessed: 03/28/2025).