Bracken (Pteridium) is a perennial fern from the Dennstedtia family. A lush, slender plant is common in the forest and steppe zone of Siberia, the Far East and European countries. The cultivated forms of perennials are an excellent decoration for the garden plot and courtyard area. In addition, bracken is used for medicinal purposes and is added to food.
Leafy fronds resembling an eagle's wing gave the name to this species. People can often hear in his address "Jesus Grass" because of the unusual cuts of the stem. Local residents harvest wild growth for household and medicinal needs. Fern survives not only in natural conditions. The plant is easy to grow on site. Caring for the eagle is not difficult. A crown of feathery and spreading leaves quickly develops and greens the garden.
Description of the plant
Bracken looks like a herbaceous spore plant, reaching a length of 30 to 100 cm. The horizontal rhizome develops evenly. Every year, new shoots extend from the main root, which sink deep into the soil, absorb nutrients and moisture. Root shoots are resistant to any disasters. Their vitality allows plants to grow in one place for a century. It is not for nothing that ferns are considered the most ancient representatives of the flora.
In spring, single green shoots appear on the surface. The distance between them is at least 10 cm. The shoots are bare, the crown is bent like a snail. In the future, leafy feathery fronds bloom on the shoot, which have a pungent aroma. The color of the dense lobes of a rich green hue. The upper part of the leaves is rounded. Below them are surrounded by nectaries, secreting sweet juice. For ants, this juice is a real delicacy, so insects often stick around the stems to collect nectar.
The spores line the edges of the leaf wai and hide under the bend. Ripening occurs in the second half of summer. Disputes are formed in different ways. When the sporangia is fully ripe, the shell cracks and the wind blows the seeds to the sides. Seeds are round and small in size.
Scientists studying the botanical world are divided in opinion regarding the division of bracken by species. Some of them believe that only the common bracken exists, while others distinguish the fern into ten modifications. However, all plants, regardless of the name, have almost one hundred percent similarity. Many fern species survive only in nature and are not suitable for cultivation.
Growing a bracken
The bracken is grown by spores. Some gardeners have learned to breed perennials by dividing the bush. Disputes are collected in September. To do this, cut the leaf containing the sori and dry it. Dry spores are easily scooped up with a spoon. The dried material is poured into paper bags, which are stored until the very cold. In winter, wooden boxes are filled with earth and peat and moistened. Then the achenes are evenly distributed.From above, the boxes are covered with glass and transferred to a warm room with good illumination. Crops need to be taken out into the air and moistened day after day. After a couple of months, green moss will grow in the boxes. The glass is pushed back, letting the air masses to the young seedlings. When the seedlings are elongated, they are transferred to other pots so that the plants can develop individually. In mid-spring, the fern is transplanted to an area under the open sky.
Another way to grow bracken is to divide the bush. The fern, which has been growing in one place for a long time, has a powerful developed rhizome. Having survived transplanting and pruning, the plant quickly recovers. The root is removed from the soil in April or May, having waited until the night frosts pass, and divided into parts, preserving at least one bud. The cut site is smeared with crushed coal, and the cuttings are placed in moistened soil. In nature, a new sprout easily appears from any part of the excavated rhizome. For this reason, the culture is not particularly welcomed in agriculture. The plant is difficult to eradicate, which gives the right to consider it also a weed. The method of grafting when propagating bracken, as a rule, does not bring results.
Eagle care
The bracken does not have any complex requirements related to care. Fern cultivation is carried out at home or in the garden. When buying a seedling in a store or in the market, it is important to pay attention to a number of signs by which one can judge that the plant is healthy. Damaged, dry or yellowed foliage does not bode well. After the purchase, the seedling is placed in a dark place so that it adapts. After a day, the plant is transplanted into a pot or on a plot.
Soil selection
Bracken grows safely in a fertile loose substrate. Loams slightly impair the development of perennials. A substrate of peat, sand and deciduous soil will be an excellent option for planting a finished seedling. Before the start of the events, the site is dug up and gravel or brick chips are added. Lime has a positive effect on fern growth.
Lighting
The plant is placed in the shade. Indoor species prefer a northern direction, so the pots are placed on the windowsills from this side. Here the crown wai will be protected from the sun. In the shade, the greens take on a more intense color. On the contrary, due to sunlight, the foliage turns pale and looks almost transparent.
Temperature
Bracken fern develops stably at ambient temperatures from +10 to + 25 ° C. There is no need to come up with special conditions. In the summer, the pots are taken out into the open air, where the plants will be protected from the effects of drafts. In the winter months, the indoor bracken is placed away from heating appliances. In the garden, a perennial does without shelter, since the roots are deep in the soil, frosts do not pose a danger to them. When vegetative processes freeze, deciduous wai fall off.
Air humidity
The bracken needs regular spraying. Greens lose their shape and color without moisture. For irrigation, take only purified water that does not leave limescale. Pallets filled with pebbles are often installed next to the pots. It is also recommended to plant bracken near ponds or streams. The culture prefers moist soil, so the next watering is carried out immediately after the top layer dries. Care should be taken to avoid flooding the root zone. In winter, the intervals between waterings are increased.
Top dressing
Top dressing is applied in moderation. For the first time, the bushes are fed with mineral fertilizers in the spring, when young shoots appear. Then the procedure is repeated every month until the vegetative processes are over.
Transfer
It is not necessary to replant the garden forms of the bracken. For apartment pets, a new pot is selected every 3-5 years. The container should be one size wider and deeper.The bottom is covered with drainage so that the roots receive a sufficient amount of oxygen. Pour soil mixture on top.
Diseases and pests
Bracken is not very susceptible to diseases and attacks from insects. Succulent shoots attract thrips, scale insects and whiteflies. Insecticidal preparations help in the fight against insects. Exceeding the dosage will harm the bushes.
Recommendations for the procurement of raw materials
In April, as soon as the lilies of the valley begin to bloom or the bird cherry crumbles, they collect plant materials. A sign of the readiness of young shoots for collection is the fact that they break well. When bracken leaves become strong and flexible, such raw materials are no longer suitable for harvesting. The height of the shoots, including the top, reaches from 20 to 25 cm. The thickness of the stems is no more than 1.5 cm. Pruning is done at the root. Bunches of cut bracken leaves are used for food. The bushes are not completely bare, otherwise the development of the fern will slow down.
Over time, the freshness of the stems is lost. Raw materials need to be processed as quickly as possible. In most cases, the fern is sent for salting, after which it is used for food. In dried form, sprouts are allowed to be stored for about 12 months. Fern roots are also used for medicinal purposes, which retain medicinal properties for several years.
Salting is made in wooden tubs. The connected stems are laid in layers, thickly sprinkled with salt. Salt is taken in a ratio of 1: 4. The top layer is pressed down using oppression. To make the fern better salted, it is left in this form for 2-3 weeks. Then the oppression is pushed back to drain the brine accumulated on the surface. The consumption of table salt is required to take five times less than the raw materials needed. After it was possible to drain the liquid, the oppression is put in place and the product continues to be salted for another week.
Before eating, the shoots are soaked in clean water and immersed in boiling water for 5 minutes. Salted fern is added to salads or other dishes.
Culinary application
Many world cultures use bracken for food and make massive procurement of raw materials. Salted shoots have a mushroom flavor, but for some gourmets, the plant resembles asparagus. Do not eat the stems fresh. Only after being cooked are the stems considered edible.
The Japanese have learned not only to use the salted bracken. They bake pies, sweets and various delicacies from the leaves. Finely chopped shoots and perennial roots are added to the flour. The products laid by the stems of the fern remain fresh for a long time.
Beneficial features
The fern tissues contain such active substances as proteins, glycosides, tannin, flavonoids, saponins, starch, trace elements and vitamins B, C and E. Young leaves and stems of perennials are considered the most useful. Adult specimens accumulate cyanides and hydrocyanic acid in their composition.
Medicinal decoctions are prepared on the basis of dried raw materials. They are used internally for headaches, nervous disorders, hypertension, diarrhea and weakened immunity.
Our ancestors considered bracken to be an effective remedy in the fight against rheumatism and arthritis. The plant has a stimulating effect on the body, removes bile and radionuclides, acts as a sedative in case of nervous disorders and stress, starts the processes of regeneration and metabolism.
Fern is recommended to be eaten in moderation. Overeating the leaves causes poisoning. Young shoots contain toxic components that can settle on the intestinal walls. Pregnant women, children and hypertensive patients should exclude such a product from their diet.
