Plant Care Brake Fern

Brake Fern

2.9 out of 5 (7 experiences)

Brake Fern has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily

Also known as

Slender Brake, Silver Lace Fern, Sword Brake Fern, silver ribbon fern, Silverlace Fern and Pteris ensiformis.

Taxonomy

Pteris ensiformis
Pteris
Pteridaceae
Polypodiales

How to care for Brake Fern

šŸ’¦ Water

How often to water your Brake Fern

Water needs for Brake Fern
0.5 cups
every 9

Brake Fern needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesnā€™t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Brake Fern

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
ā˜€ļø Light

Finding light for Brake Fern in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Brake Fern: 3ft from a window
3ft or less from
a window

Brake Fern may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves šŸƒ, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Brake Fern in your home šŸ”.

šŸŖ“ Nutrients

How to fertilize Brake Fern

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Brake Fern: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil itā€™s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Brake Fern after it doubles in size or once a yearā€”whichever comes first.

Browse #BrakeFern
šŸ’” FAQs
šŸ’¦ Water Needs

Brake Fern prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Brake Fern Water Frequency →

Brake Fern Root Rot →


ā˜€ļø Sunlight Needs

Brake Fern may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves šŸƒ without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home šŸ”.

Brake Fern Light Requirements →

Brake Fern Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


šŸ¶ šŸˆ šŸ‘¶ Toxicity

Brake Fern is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

Is Brake Fern Edible? →

Brake Fern Toxicity to Cats →

Brake Fern Toxicity to Dogs →

Brake Fern Toxicity to Humans →


šŸ’Ø Humidity

Brake Fern enjoys lots of humidity. Provide humidity for your plant by watering regularly and thoroughly, since plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves. They may also benefit from being placed next to a humidifier.

Brake Fern Humidity Needs →


šŸŖ“ Soil

Brake Fern is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture. A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.

Best Soil Mix for Brake Fern →

Best Pots for Brake Fern →

When and How to Successfully Repot Brake Fern →

What Are Healthy Brake Fern Roots →


šŸ’© Fertilizer

Brake Fern should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as itā€™s refreshed yearly, you shouldnā€™t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Brake Fern →


šŸŒŽ Native Region

Brake Fern is native to Tropical and Subtropical regions worldwide.


šŸŒ¦ļø Growing Outdoors
šŸŒ± Propagation

Brake Fern can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

  • Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
  • If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
  • Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
  • Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Brake Fern →


šŸ‚ Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves arenā€™t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plantā€™s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, itā€™s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Brake Fern, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


šŸ§ Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Brake Fern

Brake Fern

Brake Fern


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4ā€ pot your plant is in, and that it doesnā€™t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Brake Fern has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 5
Brake Fern has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 1
@marblequeen avatar
@@marblequeen
leaf-1 23 Plants
xp 562 XP
globe Columbus, OH
09/22/2021

needs a Ton of humidity like more than a humidifier running part of the day can give. probably good for greenhouses or terrariums

Browns easily Browns easily
@cat.heinen avatar
@@cat.heinen
leaf-1 107 Plants
xp 4,160 XP
07/06/2021

I can never tell what this little guy likes, but it does like direct sunlight, but it doesnā€™t grow in indirect sun, the soil drains too quickly, and once it starts browning it spreads

Browns easily Browns easily
@sagemduffy avatar
@@sagemduffy
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 247 XP
globe Philadelphia, PA
06/12/2021

dislike it died fast

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