Species library · Plants & herbs
Pteridium esculentum
Bracken Fern is classed as poisonous in the Forage field guide. This page helps you identify it and tell it apart from similar species. It is not a foraging guide. When in doubt, have a find identified by an expert.
If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center right away. If someone has trouble breathing, has a seizure or is unconscious, call emergency services. Don't wait for symptoms: with some poisonings they only start hours later. Keep any leftovers of the find, they help identify it.
Usually seen from March to May in the northern hemisphere. Found in Woodland, Scrub & hedgerows, Heath & moor. Can be confused with similar species.
Photo: (c) jirau, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · iNaturalist
Typical window in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset.
Bracken Fern is usually found in Woodland, Scrub & hedgerows, Heath & moor.
In the Forage app, Bracken Fern has a full field guide entry with more photos, key features and the species it can be confused with.
Yes. Bracken Fern is classed as poisonous in the Forage field guide. Do not eat it. If you suspect poisoning, call your local poison control center right away, or emergency services if it is life-threatening.
Bracken Fern usually appears from March to May in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather.
Bracken Fern is usually found in Woodland, Scrub & hedgerows, Heath & moor.
Toxic look-alikes: Male fern, Royal fern, Ostrich fern. Only a confident identification tells them apart. When in doubt, have a find checked by an expert.
Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.
Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits
Male fern☠ toxic
Royal fern
