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Cystopteris bulbifera

Common name:	Berry Bladder Fern	Family:	Dryopteridaceae
Author:	(L.)Bernh.	Botanical references:	43, 200
Synonyms:	Polypodium bulbiferum (L.), Felix bulbifera ((L.)Underw.)
Known Hazards:	Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[200]. Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[172].
Range:	Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to Manitoba, Wisconsin and Iowa, south to Georgia and Arkansas.
Habitat:	Shaded ravines, rocky (mainly calcareous) slopes and steep banks[43].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	Filix bulbifera[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Bulblet Bladder Fern [B], Bulblet Bladderfern [P],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	bulbifer = bulb producing bulbifera = bulb producing
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Polypodiales. Wood Fern family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Us

Physical Characteristics

A decidious fern growing to 0.15m by 0.23m . It is hardy to zone 5. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Deep Shade, Walls, Ground Cover.

Edible Uses

Root.

Root. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails[172].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Ground cover.

A good ground cover plant[200]. Forming a slowly spreading clump, it should be planted 30cm apart each way[208].

Cultivation details

Prefers a shady position in a moist but well-drained soil, succeeding in most soil types[200]. Plants can tolerate up to 4 hours direct sun per day[200]. Prefers a pH between 6.5 and 7, but tolerates a range from 5.5 to 7.5[200]. Plants can be grown on old mortared walls if they are in a shady position[219].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
Plants die back early in dry seasons[200].
This plant produces bulbils on the leaves, these fall off when mature and grow into new plants[200, 235]. In this way the plant can become invasive[200].

Propagation

Spores - best sown as soon as ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. Germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20° c[164].Pot on small clumps of plantlets as soon as they are large enough to handle and keep humid until they are well established. Do not plant outside until the ferns are at least 2 years old.
Division in spring.
Bulbils are produced at intervals along the midrib and these can be planted into pots as soon as they are ripe[188, 219].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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