{"product_id":"cretan-brake-fern-pteris-cretica","title":"Cretan Brake Fern - Pteris cretica","description":"\u003cp\u003eCretan Brake Fern (\u003cem\u003ePteris cretica\u003c\/em\u003e) 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariegated, ribbon-like fronds.\u003c\/strong\u003e Pale centres and dark green margins give the foliage a crisp, two-tone pattern all year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEqually good indoors and out.\u003c\/strong\u003e It suits a shaded garden spot, a container on a verandah and a bright room, so you can move it as the seasons require.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA proven performer.\u003c\/strong\u003e It holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, given to plants that perform well in real gardens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact and tidy.\u003c\/strong\u003e At up to 0.8m by 0.6m it stays in scale with small gardens, courtyards and containers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasy to look after.\u003c\/strong\u003e Moisture, shade and an occasional tidy of old fronds is nearly all it needs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRock gardens and borders.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 50cm apart along the front of a shaded rockery or border. The fronds soften stone and make a neat edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLayered underplanting.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use it beneath trees and taller shrubs to add depth, with the pale fronds lighting the ground layer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePots and indoor gardens.\u003c\/strong\u003e A pot by a bright window or on a shaded balcony suits it. Young plants also suit terrariums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Cretan Brake Fern in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ferns-for-shady-areas\"\u003eFerns for shady areas\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/ideal-fern-environments-in-your-garden\"\u003eGrowing ferns in Australia: light, humidity and placement\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/house-indoor-plants\"\u003eHouse and indoor plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-balconies\"\u003ePlants for balconies\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow it indoors?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUp 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill the variegation always look the same?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot exactly. Leaf colour varies from plant to plant, and with age and light level, so expect some natural difference between individual plants.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube","offer_id":67789628997951,"sku":"PTE-CRE-tube","price":19.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"140mm (Pack of 10)","offer_id":67789629030719,"sku":"PTE-CRE-140MM-P10","price":232.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200mm (Pack of 6)","offer_id":67789629063487,"sku":"PTE-CRE-200MM-P6","price":220.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/cretan-brake-fern-pteris-cretica.jpg?v=1792191912","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/products\/cretan-brake-fern-pteris-cretica","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}