Plant Care Cretan Brake Fern

Cretan Brake Fern

3.8 out of 5 (6 experiences)

Cretan Brake Fern has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves

Also known as

Cretan Brake, Cretan Brake, Ribbon fern and Cretan brake fern

Taxonomy

Pteris cretica
Pteris
Pteridaceae
Polypodiales

How to care for Cretan Brake Fern

💦 Water

How often to water your Cretan Brake Fern

Water needs for Cretan Brake Fern
0.5 cups
every 9

Cretan Brake Fern needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’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 Cretan Brake Fern

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Cretan Brake in your home

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

Cretan Brake Fern may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, 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 Cretan Brake Fern in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Cretan Brake Fern

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Cretan 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 it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

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

Browse #CretanBrake
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Cretan Brake Fern is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

How to Grow Cretan Brake →

Indoor Care Guide for Cretan Brake →

Outdoor Care Guide for Cretan Brake →


💦 Water Needs

Cretan 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.


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Cretan Brake Fern may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 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 🏡.


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Cretan 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 Cretan Brake Edible? →


💨 Humidity

Cretan 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.


🪴 Soil

Cretan 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 Cretan Brake →

Best Pots for Cretan Brake →

What Are Healthy Cretan Brake Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Cretan 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 it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!


🌎 Native Region

Cretan Brake Fern is native to Tropical and Subtropical regions worldwide.


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Cretan Brake Fern grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Cretan Brake Lifecycle →

Cretan Brake Size Guide →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Cretan 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!


🧐 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 Cretan Brake Fern

Cretan Brake Fern

Cretan Brake Fern


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Cretan Brake Fern has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 1
Cretan Brake Fern has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 1
Cretan Brake Fern has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 1
Cretan Brake Fern has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 1
@MariansOasis avatar
@@MariansOasis
leaf-1 90 Plants
xp 25,619 XP
01/27/2022

Keep watered but not too wet or soggy!

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@carol avatar
@@carol
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 192 XP
10/04/2021

Right now it is too new in my house to describe its progress. But it is very beautiful light and airy and yet very present in the room.

@Micky avatar
@@Micky
leaf-1 59 Plants
xp 7,041 XP
globe La Mesa, CA
08/27/2021

I struggle with ferns in general, but after killing two of these, I’m gonna say the Cretan brake is the least hardy of all the ferns I’ve had. I do live in a dry climate, but I’ve managed to keep other ferns at least alive with attentive care - not this guy! He is a bone-dry shriveled mess even with constant moist-not-wet soil, lots of misting, and living in the most fern-friendly room in my home.

@rubyisamilf avatar
@@rubyisamilf
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 62 XP
globe Newport, New South Wales
07/29/2021

so fun

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