| Description | Cretan Brake Fern (Pteris cretica) an easy plant to grow with many flat green fronds that crest at the tips. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (TARE-iss)(KRET-ee-kuh) |
| Plant Type | Indoor Foliage, Perennial Tender, Ferns - Tropical |
| Hardiness Zone | (9)10-12 |
| Sunlight | Prefers bright, indirect light or dappled shade. Avoid direct sun to prevent frond scorching. |
| Moisture | Keep the soil or media consistently moist but not soggy. Thrives in high humidity. Place on a tray of wet pebbles or mist regularly. |
| Soil & Site | well-drained, richly organic humus soil |
| Temperature | Prefers to be cool, 55-70 degrees. |
| Flowers | Ferns are non-flowering plants. They produce sori in lines along the margins of the frond, on its underside. |
| Leaves | Arching pale green evergreen fronds, having simple or forked tips. They have dichotomous branching, meaning the fronds are divided repeatedly and regularly into pairs. |
| Stems | Short creeping rhizomes. |
| Dimensions | 12-24" by 12-24" (HS) |
| Maintenance | Prune yellow or brown fronds at the base to encourage new growth. |
| Propagation | division, spores |
| Native Site | Old World tropics and subtropics |
| Misc Facts | From the Greek word pteron, for fern. There are over 280 different species of brake ferns. Only a few species and their many cultivars are found in commerce. |
| Author's Notes | I have grown this fern, and it seems to be easy if given a cooler, bright window. |
| Notes & Reference | #23-Indoor Ferns (Boy Altman), #228-Encyclopedia of Garden Ferns (Sue Olsen), #274-Site Authors' observations and growing experiences |
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