The
bracken fern is one of the most widespread and recognizable plants
in the Upper Peninsula. They often grow in large colonies and take
over the undergrowth in forests. When these die off in the fall
they provide flammable fuel if a fire moves through. Fossils show
that ferns have been around as long as 55 million years. Bracken
ferns can grow in a variety of soils, but it does not do well in
waterlogged areas. It can often survive is drier areas than most
other kinds of ferns, but it does not like shade.
The
bracken fern can be between four and seven feet tall. It is one
of the earliest ferns to appear in spring and one of the first plants
to begin growing after a fire. Ferns are actually well adapted to
take advantage of fires because its rhizomes (an
underground part of a stem) are buried deep underground and can
sprout quickly after the head passes, beating out competing species.The
dark green leaves of the bracken fern, called fronds, are feathery
and lacy. They usually have a triangular shape with tiny, rounded
leaflets. The foliage is poisonous to livestock, pets and people.
One
way bracken ferns reproduce is through shedding small, lightweight
spores that are easily transported by wind. This is especially successful
when the spores land in areas that have been recently burned or
disturbed where sun is abundant and competition from other species
is limited.
More often, new ferns grow as a result of spreading
rhizomes or "runners". Curved leaves, called fiddleheads,
emerge from the ground early in spring and unroll into the long
triangular leaves.
The
bracken fern is one of the most widespread and recognizable plants
in the Upper Peninsula. They often grow in large colonies and take
over the undergrowth in forests. When these die off in the fall
they provide flammable fuel if a fire moves through. Fossils show
that ferns have been around as long as 55 million years. Bracken
ferns can grow in a variety of soils, but it does not do well in
waterlogged areas. It can often survive is drier areas than most
other kinds of ferns, but it does not like shade.
(an
underground part of a stem) are buried deep underground and can
sprout quickly after the head passes, beating out competing species.The
dark green leaves of the bracken fern, called fronds, are feathery
and lacy. They usually have a triangular shape with tiny, rounded
leaflets. The foliage is poisonous to livestock, pets and people.
One
way bracken ferns reproduce is through shedding small, lightweight
spores that are easily transported by wind. This is especially successful
when the spores land in areas that have been recently burned or
disturbed where sun is abundant and competition from other species
is limited.