Scientific Name: Pteridium esculentum

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  • Pronunciation:
    ter-RID-ee-um es-cue-LENT-um
  • Common Name:
    Bracken Fern
  • Derivation:
    Pteridium: Gr. pteris - fern esculentum: L. esculentus - food
  • Type:
    Fern
  • Family:
    DENNSTAEDTIACEAE
  • Flowers:
    Ferns do not have flowers or fruit but produce spores on the backs of their leaves throughout the year.
  • Fruit:
    spore - minute
  • Vegetation Type:
    Dry Eucalypt Forest
  • Species List:
    EdingtonDr, Cooroibah, Weyba Esp, SBHS, Emu Swamp, W2, Bush food, Bush medicine, SBHS, NLTalks2010, Weyba Nature Refuge, Eumarella Rd., Coolum High, Boreen Point Caravan Park, Wooroi Day Use Area Tracks, NNP Parkedge/Alex, St. Teresa's, Cooroy Primary School, NNP service road, Cooroibah26.4.09, Kingfisher Bay Resort, Wooroi Palm Grove, BSDoonan, Cooloothin Corner, Tewantin Forest Gyndier, Fraser Island, Johns, Cooroibah Conservation Park, Cooroibah Bushland Reserve, Cranks Creek, Batianoff 87, NNP Viewland/Brunjes, Leslie Drive Roundabout Noosa North Shore PS TAFE Girraween BHNR Marcus Dunes Dandaloo NNP Coastal Noosa River NP NNS Fern Track Arthur Harrold NR, NNS, Heritage Park, Wallace Park,
Cultural Notes

TAKE CARE! Some information about bush foods and medicines may be anecdotal. Correct identification and preparation is essential:

Bush food CAUTION! The boiled shoots, called croziers or fiddles, are emergency foods, but should not be eaten in quantity due to the toxins they contain.

During winter particularly, the Cadigal (NSW) chewed or beat out a sticky, nutritious starch from the rhizomes (swollen roots) of this fern. Roots were an important food source because they could be dug up all year round. The earth acts as a natural storage cupboard. (Sydney Botanic Gardens)