Athyrium felix-femina Lady fern (Polypodiaceae) Deciduous fern

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Athyrium felix-femina
Lady fern
Deciduous fern
(1 Page of 5)

The Athyrium felix-femina plant species is found in Britain. It is a member of the Polypodiaceae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Lady fern. Some home gardeners know the variety as Asplenium felix-femina

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

Latin Name:  Athyrium felix-femina
Common Name:  Lady fern
Family:  Polypodiaceae
Author:  (L.)Roth.

Known Hazards:  The fresh shoots contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[172]. Although we have found no reports for this species, a number of ferns also contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[200].

Mature Height:  0.6   Mature Width:  0.5

Habitat:  Moist sheltered woods, hedgebanks and ravines[4], usually on acidic soils but also found in drier and more open habitats[187].

Medicinal Information: A tea of the boiled stems has been used to releive labour pains[213, 222, 257]. The young unfurled fronds have been eaten to treat internal ailments such as cancer of the womb[257]. The roots are anthelmintic and diuretic[4, 222]. A tea of the boiled roots has been used to treat general body pains[213, 257], to stop breast pains caused by childbirth and to induce milk flow in caked breasts[222, 257]. The dried powdered root has been applied externally to heal sores[222, 257]. A liquid extract of the root is an effective anthelmintic, though it is less powerful than the male fern, Dryopteris felix-mas[4].

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
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