Cretan Brake Fern

Cretan Brake Fern (Pteris cretica) is a compact, decorative fern with variegated, ribbon-like fronds that are pale down the centre and deep green at the edges. It grows to about 0.8m high and 0.6m wide, a manageable size for a shaded rockery, a layered underplanting or a pot indoors. The light centres brighten a dim corner in a way plain green ferns do not.

Why you'll love it

• Variegated, ribbon-like fronds. Pale centres and dark green margins give the foliage a crisp, two-tone pattern all year.
• Equally good indoors and out. It suits a shaded garden spot, a container on a verandah and a bright room, so you can move it as the seasons require.
• A proven performer. It holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, given to plants that perform well in real gardens.
• Compact and tidy. At up to 0.8m by 0.6m it stays in scale with small gardens, courtyards and containers.
• Easy to look after. Moisture, shade and an occasional tidy of old fronds is nearly all it needs.

Where it works best

Rock gardens and borders. Plant 50cm apart along the front of a shaded rockery or border. The fronds soften stone and make a neat edge.

Layered underplanting. Use it beneath trees and taller shrubs to add depth, with the pale fronds lighting the ground layer.

Pots and indoor gardens. A pot by a bright window or on a shaded balcony suits it. Young plants also suit terrariums.

Growing Cretan Brake Fern in Australia

Position and climate. Shade to dappled light suits it, in a warm, humid spot. It grows outdoors in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens; in cooler districts grow it as a pot plant in a bright room or sheltered courtyard. Ferns thrive in humidity, so a position out of drying wind helps.

Soil. Use a well drained mix and plant carefully, with the crown of the fern sitting above the soil line. Avoid wet feet, which cause rot.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly until established, usually around 12 weeks, and keep it moist through dry periods. Apply a slow release fertiliser in spring, and a liquid fertiliser every 4 weeks in the warmer months, diluted to half the recommended dose to avoid burn.

Pruning. Remove old fronds to keep the plant looking fresh and to reduce the chance of disease. Re-pot container plants only if they have outgrown their pots.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Cretan Brake Fern as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and in 200mm pots in packs of 6. Tubes are the economical way to plant a drift under trees, and the potted packs give a fuller look from day one. Leaf colour varies naturally from plant to plant, and it shifts with age and with the light the fern receives.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Ferns for shady areas
• Growing ferns in Australia: light, humidity and placement
• House and indoor plants
• Plants for balconies

Common questions

Can I grow it indoors?

Yes. Give it bright, indirect light, keep the potting mix moist and lift humidity by grouping it with other plants. Direct afternoon sun scorches the fronds.

How big does it get?

Up to 0.8m high and 0.6m wide, though plants in containers usually stay smaller. Plant it 50cm from its neighbours if you want a continuous, layered effect.

Will the variegation always look the same?

Not exactly. Leaf colour varies from plant to plant, and with age and light level, so expect some natural difference between individual plants.