Calochlaena spp.

soft bracken

Eastern Australia, New Guinea, SW Pacific

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

HardinessZones 9–10

Overview

Calochlaena spp. is a genus of ground ferns in the family Dicksoniaceae, native to Australia, New Guinea, and the southwest Pacific. The widespread species C. dubia, called soft bracken or false bracken, spreads by a hairy, creeping underground rhizome to form open colonies of fronds. The fronds are broadly triangular, 1.5-5 feet (0.5-1.5 m) long, finely divided two to three times, and soft to the touch, with pale hairs along the stalks and a yellow-green to mid-green colour. As ferns, plants reproduce by spores carried in small cup-shaped sori at the segment margins on the undersides of fertile fronds, rather than by flowers or seed. Calochlaena spp. grows in moist, sheltered forest, gully slopes, and disturbed clearings, and the running rhizome lets a colony spread widely, which can crowd smaller plants. The soft hairs and finer texture separate it from the coarse, hairless true bracken, Pteridium spp..

Native Range

Calochlaena spp. is native to eastern and northern Australia, New Guinea, and islands of the southwest Pacific. C. dubia grows through eastern Australia from Queensland to Victoria, in moist eucalypt forest, fern gullies, creek banks, and shaded road cuttings, often on slightly acid soils.

Suggested Uses

Calochlaena dubia is used as a shade and woodland groundcover, in fern gardens, and for stabilising moist, shaded banks. It suits naturalistic and native plantings in mild, frost-light climates (about USDA zones 9-10). Its running rhizome makes it too vigorous for small, mixed borders.

How to Identify

Look for soft, broadly triangular fern fronds, finely divided two or three times, rising singly along a creeping underground stem to form loose colonies. Pale hairs cover the frond stalks, and the fronds feel soft rather than stiff. Spore cups sit at the edges of the segment undersides. The soft hairs and running habit separate it from the harsh, deeply colonising true bracken.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1'6" - 5'

Colors

Foliage Colors

green

yellow

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Ferns do not flower. Reproduction is by spores released from small marginal cups on the undersides of fertile fronds, mainly through the warmer months. New fronds also arise along the spreading rhizome, so colonies enlarge without spores.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Yellow-green to mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years to form a colony

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plants grow in part to full shade in moist, free-draining, slightly acid soil rich in leaf litter, and the fronds brown at the tips in dry or exposed positions. They tolerate light frost once established but are cut back by hard freezes, regrowing from the rhizome in spring. Steady moisture and shelter from wind keep the soft fronds intact. The creeping rhizome spreads readily, so a root barrier helps where the colony must be contained. Few pests trouble it beyond occasional caterpillar grazing.

Pruning

Old, browned, or frost-damaged fronds can be cut to the ground in late winter before new growth unfurls. No other pruning is needed. Spreading rhizomes can be cut back at the colony edge to limit its spread.