Pellaea ovata: Cliff Brake Fern

Pellaea ovata, known as Cliff Brake Fern, Ovateleaf Cliffbrake, or Flexuous Cliff Brake, is a graceful, evergreen fern native to the southern US, Caribbean, and Central America. It forms an open clump of arching, pinnate fronds with ovate (egg-shaped), leathery, dark green pinnae that have a distinctive flexuous (wavy) rachis. The stipe and rachis are dark purple-brown to black, wiry, and glossy.

Plant Profile

This fern prefers partial to full shade and moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil. It is more mesic (moisture-loving) than many Pellaea species. It is a lovely addition to shaded rock gardens, woodland slopes, and containers. The arching habit and ovate leaflets give it a softer, more delicate texture than the stiff, xeric cliffbrakes. Protect from hard freezes.