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Nomenclature

Common Name:

Bahama brake fern, pineland brake fern

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Pteris bahamensis

Family:

Pteridaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

fern

Size:

1-2 ft, spreads horizontally by rhisomes

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

NA

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

Evergreen

Noted For:

Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Grows in clumps. Unusual in that it thrives in high light, but needs moist soil.

Considerations:

Needs periodic removal of old fronds -- cut the clumps back in winter or early spring.

Availability:

Propagation:

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Soil pH:

Alkaline

Suitable to Grow In:

Ecology

Wildlife:

Native Habitats:

Pine rockland, sinkhole (edges). On limestone.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Bahama ladder brake hybridizes with the non-native and invasive China brake (P. vittata) forming Delchamps' ladder brake (P. x delchampsii). Bahama ladder break is threatened with extinction due to this hybridization. Because of this, we do not recommend planting Bahama ladder break -- if we plant it and there is any China brake around, we exacerbate the problem. When you find this plant in nature, please enjoy it there.



Listed as threatened by the state of Florida.