Cystopteris protrusa

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Cystopteris protrusa

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Kemper Code: V190

Common Name: lowland fragile fern
Zone: 2 to 9
Plant Type: Fern
Family: Dryopteridaceae
Missouri Native: Yes
Native Range: North America
Height: 0.5 to 1.5 feet
Spread: 0.5 to 1.5 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Color: Non-flowering
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in loose, organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. Add lime to acidic soils.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Fragile fern is a small, somewhat airy, deciduous, Missouri native fern which occurs in rich woods, slopes, valleys and along streams throughout the State. Typically grows 6-15" tall. Features finely cut, bi-pinnate to tri-pinnate, erect to arching fronds. Fronds have brittle stipes (central stems) which easily break, hence the common name. A rhizomatous plant which emerges in very early spring and produces new fronds throughout the spring and summer. Very similar in appearance to Woodsia obtusa (M890).

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems.

Uses:

Excellent for shaded areas of rock gardens. Also effective in woodland gardens, native plant gardens, shaded border fronts or on slopes or banks.