Athyrium filix-femina
Lady Fern

Uses

Toxic parts

The fresh shoots contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase^[1]. Although we have found no reports for this species, a number of ferns also contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable^[2].

Edible uses

Notes

Young shoots, harvested before they have fully unfolded, can be eaten cooked^[3]. They must not be eaten raw - see the notes above on toxicity^[1]. Used in spring, they are a bitter emergency food^[1]. Rhizome - peeled and slow-baked^[4]^[5]. Reports that the root of this plant were eaten by native North American Indians are likely to be mistaken, it was probably Dryopteris expansa that was used^[3].

Leaves

Unknown use

Root

Unknown use

Material uses

A good ground cover plant^[2], forming a slowly spreading clump^[6]. The cultivar 'Minor' has a denser habit and spreads more freely, making a better cover^[6].

There are no material uses listed for Athyrium filix-femina.

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

A tea of the boiled stems has been used to relieve labour pains^[7]^[8]^[5]. The young unfurled fronds have been eaten to treat internal ailments such as cancer of the womb^[5]. The roots are anthelmintic and diuretic^[9]^[8]. A tea of the boiled roots has been used to treat general body pains^[7]^[5], to stop breast pains caused by childbirth and to induce milk flow in caked breasts^[8]^[5]. The dried powdered root has been applied externally to heal sores^[8]^[5]. A liquid extract of the root is an effective anthelmintic, though it is less powerful than the male fern, Dryopteris felix-mas^[9].

Unknown part

Anthelmintic

Diuretic

Poultice

Women's complaints

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Soil surface

Ecological Functions

Ground cover

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Spores - surface sow in a pot of sterile compost in a shady part of the greenhouse and keep moist, this is most easily done by putting the pot in a plastic bag. Pot up small clumps of the plants when they are large enough to handle and keep them moist until they are established. Plant out in late spring of the following year. Division in spring as plants come into growth. Larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Athyrium filix-femina. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.

Cultivation

An easily grown plant^[9], it is calcifuge and prefers an acid soil with a pH from 4.5 to 6.5, but it tolerates alkaline soils if plenty of leaf mould is added^[2]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist sheltered site with moderately high atmospheric humidity^[2].

A very ornamental ^[10] and polymorphic species, there are many named varieties selected for their ornamental value^[11].

Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer^[12].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Athyrium filix-femina. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Athyrium filix-femina.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

References

? ^1.0^1.1^1.2^1.3 Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. ()
? ^2.0^2.1^2.2^2.3^2.4^2.5 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
? ^3.0^3.1^3.2 Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. ISBN 0-7748-0533-1 (1995-00-00)
? ^4.0^4.1 Gunther. E. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press ISBN 0-295-95258-X (1981-00-00)
? ^5.0^5.1^5.2^5.3^5.4^5.5^5.6^5.7 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (1998-00-00)
? ^6.0^6.1^6.2 Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons ISBN 0-460-12609-1 (1990-00-00)
? ^7.0^7.1^7.2 Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books ISBN 0-449-90589-6 (1980-00-00)
? ^8.0^8.1^8.2^8.3^8.4 Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0395467225 (1990-00-00)
? ^9.0^9.1^9.2^9.3 Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1984-00-00)
? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
? Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30936-9 (1991-00-00)
? Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. ISBN 0 460 86048 8 (1990-00-00)
? Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PFAFimport-17

"image:Athyrium filix-femina0.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

[PFAFimport-172-1] ? ^1.0^1.1^1.2^1.3 Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. ()

[PFAFimport-200-2] ? ^2.0^2.1^2.2^2.3^2.4^2.5 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)

[PFAFimport-256-3] ? ^3.0^3.1^3.2 Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. ISBN 0-7748-0533-1 (1995-00-00)

[PFAFimport-118-4] ? ^4.0^4.1 Gunther. E. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press ISBN 0-295-95258-X (1981-00-00)

[PFAFimport-257-5] ? ^5.0^5.1^5.2^5.3^5.4^5.5^5.6^5.7 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (1998-00-00)

[PFAFimport-208-6] ? ^6.0^6.1^6.2 Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons ISBN 0-460-12609-1 (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-213-7] ? ^7.0^7.1^7.2 Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books ISBN 0-449-90589-6 (1980-00-00)

[PFAFimport-222-8] ? ^8.0^8.1^8.2^8.3^8.4 Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0395467225 (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-4-9] ? ^9.0^9.1^9.2^9.3 Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (1984-00-00)

[PFAFimport-1-10] ? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)

[PFAFimport-187-11] ? Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books ISBN 0-330-30936-9 (1991-00-00)

[PFAFimport-233-12] ? Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. ISBN 0 460 86048 8 (1990-00-00)

[PFAFimport-17] ? Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PFAFimport-17

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

Article is incomplete	Yes +
Article requires citations	No +
Article requires cleanup	Yes +
Belongs to family	Polypodiaceae +
Belongs to genus	Athyrium +
Functions as	Ground cover +
Has common name	Lady Fern +
Has drought tolerance	Intolerant +
Has edible part	Leaves + and Root +
Has edible use	Unknown use +
Has hardiness zone	2 +
Has image	Athyrium filix-femina0.jpg +
Has mature height	0.6 +
Has mature width	0.5 +
Has medicinal part	Unknown part +
Has medicinal use	Anthelmintic +, Diuretic +, Poultice + and Women's complaints +
Has primary image	Athyrium filix-femina0.jpg +
Has search name	athyrium filix-femina + and x +
Has shade tolerance	Permanent shade +
Has soil ph preference	Very acid +, Acid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
Has soil teclayture preference	Clay +
Has soil teheavy clayture preference	Heavy clay +
Has soil teloamyture preference	Loamy +
Has soil tesandyture preference	Sandy +
Has soil water retention preference	Well drained +
Has sun preference	Partial sun +
Has taxonomy name	Athyrium filix-femina +
Has water requirements	moderate +
Inhabits ecosystem niche	Soil surface +
Is deciduous or evergreen	Deciduous +
Is taxonomy type	Species +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soil	No +
Uses mature size measurement unit	Meters +