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Southern Bracken

Pteridium aquilinum var. pseudocaudatum

Mainly in dry sandy or rocky woodlands, often locally abundant in longleaf pine sandhills and pine flatwoods. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

35
Good

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 71%

Light
Partial shade, Full shade, Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
July to September

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Leaves

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 1 West Virginia county.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

12CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Pteridium

  • Callopistria cordataSilver-Spotted Fern Moth
  • Callopistria mollissimaPink-Shaded Fern Moth
  • Eueretagrotis perattentusTwo-Spot Dart
  • Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
  • Fagitana litteraMarsh Fern Moth
  • Homochlodes fritillariaPale Homochlodes
  • Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
  • Melanchra assimilisBlack Arches
  • Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
  • Olethreutes osmundanaFern Olethreutes
Show all 12
  • Papaipema pterisiiBracken Border
  • Petrophora subaequariaLeaping Looper, Northern Petrophora
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Dennstaedtiaceae
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Not applicable

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Pteridium aquilinum var. pseudocaudatum

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSH
Global rankG5T5 [G5]
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

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How to check your spot

Sources