In the greenhouses here, ferns are more often irritating weeds than anything else (they look nice but tangle up roots of other plants that they appear amongst). But, there are a few exceptions that are more showy and controllable, like my rabbit’s foot, Staghorn….and this, Pteris cretica var. albolineata, or variegated Cretan Fern.
A tropical Eurasian native (and not at all tolerant of frost), the species in general is a slower-growing, less spore-prone and east plant to maintain, but IMO the standard version is not particularly attractive. The variegated version though, and it only becomes variegated once mature size and established, is spectacular. White middles and mint-green margins along relatively thin branching frondlets make for a complex high contrast presentation and a decently sized plant, at around a foot and a half tall and 2-3 feet across.
As it’s become quite a large specimen recently I’ve begun debating whether to attempt dividing it or not, but despite the size my glimpses at the base suggest it’s still very much one cohesive central clump, so may yet be a while.

#pteris #pteriscretica #fern #plants #variegated #strangeplants #botany #plantsathome #horticulture #botanical #plantsmakepeoplehappy #gardening #carltoncarnivores #educational

This is a shaking brake (#Pteris tremula) that I pulled out because it’s wandering across my lawn. On the bottom are wharariki (#Phormium colensoi) seeds that have sprouted after the cold weather a few weeks back. They need the cold and damp to get started.

Marginal coenosori (joined-up sori, where sporangia produce spores) in #Pteris cretica #FernFriday