Bracken Fern

Description:

Bracken Fern is one of the most widespread ferns in North America. In the U.S., only Nebraska lacks populations of Bracken Fern. It also grows throughout tropical America, Eurasia, Australia and parts of Africa. However, it is invasive and poisonous to humans and livestock, so it is not recommended for culture.

Habitat:

Occurring in temperate and subtropical regions in both hemispheres. (The extreme lightness of its spores has led to its global distribution.) Bracken is an aggressive colonizer of disturbed and other successional habitats and has been considered an invader of pastureland. It has been shown to be allelopathic (to produce compounds that inhibit the growth of other plant species) and can form dense monocultures. It is difficult to eradicate or control and, because it is toxic, renders such pasturage unfit for grazing.

Notes:

Spotted along the trail at the Allatoona Pass Battlefield.