Pteris cretica var. albolineata

Pteris cretica var. albolineata- (White-striped Cretan Brake Fern)

A striking fern with elongated fronds with a central white stripe. Makes an attractive and easy to grow houseplant. It can be put outside in the summer in a shady spot but needs frost protection over winter. It may be possible to grow this outside year round in very mild areas of the UK where frosts are rare and with a winter mulch.

This fern is usually evergreen but may be partly or fully deciduous at low temperatures. Remove old fronds as they die back to keep the plant looking tidy. For container grown plants feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser such as liquid growmore or seaweed extract once a month between May and early September.

Grow in free-draining peat or peat-free compost. Never put straight into a large pot. Pot up gradually to the next size (maximum 2 inches wider in diameter) Wait for the plant to make a full root-ball before potting on again. This may take months so don’t rush it. Always plant into a pot with drainage holes so you can allow any excess water to drain away if you do accidentally over water it. If desired this can then be stood in a more decorative outer pot with some pebbles in the bottom. Do not allow the compost to become either excessively wet or dry.

Eventual height 45 cms (18 inches).

Not frost hardy- Minimum temperature 0°C