The bulblet bladder fern is a rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial fern in the spleenwort family (Aspleniaceae). It is native to a wide area of eastern and central North America, including North Carolina. The name of the genus comes from the Greek words kystis, meaning “bladder,” and pteris, a fern. The name highlights the indusium, which is inflated when young. The specific epithet is Latin for “bearing bulbils,” a highly unusual mode of clonal reproduction among ferns. The bulblet bladder fern prefers partial to deep shade in moist, humusy rocky limestone or neutral soils in a humid protected environment. It grows 1 to 2 feet tall and wide Its natural habitat includes shaded ledges, stream banks, roadsides, cliffs and rocky slopes below 5000 feet in elevation. It can be found growing near mossy stone walls, cliffs and boulders. This fern produces bulbils on the undersides of its fertile fronds. These bulbils detach and fall to the ground to form new plants that are genetic clones of the mother plant. In addition, the fern produces spores, which are dispersed by the wind. Use this plant in a woodland setting and provide consistent moisture. It can also be grown in native, rock and shade gardens. Quick ID Hints: Bulbils on the underside of the leaves Its compound leaves are widest at or near the base. The tips of the leaves are long and slender Lateral veins of the leaflets extend to the sinuses Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington , Director of JC Raulston Arboretum .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
The compound frond that can be up to 2' long is widest at the base while the tip is long and slender. There are 10-25 pairs of nearly sessile leaflets that have 5-15 pairs of subleaflets up to 6" long. Each leaflet is lanceolate to lanceolate-deltoid. The subleaflets have serrated margins. Sori appear on the fertile fronds on each subleaflet. A round green bulblet may form at the base of some leaflets on the undersides. They may fall to the ground and form a new plant.
Flower detail
No flowers. It will reproduce by spores from June through September.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit detail
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Stem color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Canada, U.S.A.
Distribution
AL , AR , AZ , CT , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WI , WV