The brittle bladder fern or fragile fern is a rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial fern in the spleenwort family (Aspleniaceae). It has a cosmopolitan distribution in temperate areas of all continents except Australia. It occurs naturally in North Carolina. The name of the genus comes from the Greek words kystis, meaning “bladder,” and pteris, a fern. The name highlights the indusium, which is inflated when young. The specific epithet is Latin for “fragile.” It is easy to grow, preferring alkaline to neutral soil and moist environments. It spreads slowly via a compact rhizome and grows in dappled to partial to full shade. It can go dormant in dry sites but recovers well once moisture returns to the soil. It is occasionally found in wetlands. It grows about a foot high, spreads 1 to 2 feet wide and has a clumping form. The brittle bladder fern can be grown in native or shade gardens with attention to its moisture needs. It can also be grown in shallow water gardens or moist crevices. It is attractive against moist rocky areas. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for Florida Fern Caterpillar. VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.