Alphabetical Plant Listing

Cystopteris bulbifera (Bulblet Bladder Fern)

Bulblet Bladder Fern, Bulblet Fern, Filix bulbifera


Very fast-growing, Cystopteris bulbifera (Bulblet Bladder Fern) is a graceful, deciduous fern forming a loose rosette of ascending to widely spreading fronds, 10-20 in. long (25-50 cm), tapering gradually to a very long apex. Slender, the light green fronds feature 10-25 pairs of nearly sessile leaflets that have 5-15 pairs of toothed subleaflets. Bulblet Bladder Fern has a unique asexual reproduction method. It produces small, green fleshy bulblets on the underside of the fronds near the axils of the leaflets. They may fall to the ground and form a new plant. It also reproduces from spores that get dispersed by the wind. Fiddleheads appear in early spring on bright red to maroon stems sparsely covered in tiny, pale scales. Native to North America, Bulblet Bladder Fern occurs naturally near mossy stone walls, cliffs, and boulders. Use this plant in a woodland setting and provide consistent moisture.

  • Grows up to 1-2 ft. tall and wide (30-60 cm).
  • Performs best in part shade to full shade in loam or shallow rocky, neutral, wet to consistently moist, well-drained soils. This fern prefers sheltered locations with high humidity where there is little competition from other plants.
  • This plant is a great choice for shady beds and borders, cottage gardens, woodland gardens, or along ponds and streams.
  • No serious pest or disease problems. Deer resistant.
  • Remove faded fronds regularly and divide plants when crowded.
  • Propagate by rhizome division or spores.
  • Native to eastern Canada, the midwestern and eastern United States.

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Requirements

Hardiness 3 – 9
Plant Type Ferns
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spread 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spacing 24" (60cm)
Water Needs Average, High
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam
Soil pH Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, Midwest, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Rocky Mountains, Utah, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Tolerance Deer, Wet Soil
Garden Uses Ponds and Streams
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage

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Patrick Alexander, Doug MacGrady, Flickr

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.


Requirements

Hardiness 3 – 9
Plant Type Ferns
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid,Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spread 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spacing 24" (60cm)
Water Needs Average, High
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam
Soil pH Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Showy
Native Plants United States, Midwest, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Northeast, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Rocky Mountains, Utah, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Southwest, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Tolerance Deer, Wet Soil
Garden Uses Ponds and Streams
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage

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