Bracken Fern in Jilin

Bracken Fern in Jilin

　　Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) is a perennial herbaceous fern belonging to the Dennstaedtiaceae family. It grows in the eastern mountainous and semi-mountainous regions of Jilin. The plant stands about one meter tall, with creeping rhizomes underground, large leaves, and bipinnate compound fronds. Its spore clusters grow along the margins on the undersides of the leaves. The young shoots are edible and considered a premium wild vegetable, known as “bracken fern tips” or simply “bracken.” These tender shoots can be stir-fried fresh, used in soups, or preserved by salting or drying. Salted bracken is especially popular. During the pickling process, fresh, tender, robust, and pest-free bracken shoots are selected. The tougher, inedible parts are trimmed before the bracken is cured. After two rounds of salting, the shoots become soft, tender, and retain a color similar to that of fresh bracken. This preserved product is generally resistant to mold, making it easy to store.

Scientific analysis shows that every 100 grams of fresh bracken fern contains 1.68 mg of beta-carotene and 35 mg of vitamin C. Dried bracken fern contains 24.13% crude protein, 1.47% crude fat, 10.41% crude fiber, 43.37% nitrogen-free extractives, 7.98% ash, 0.27% calcium, and 0.58% phosphorus.

It has high medicinal value. According to the “Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica” and “Compendium of Materia Medica,” bracken can dispel rheumatism, promote urination, detoxify, calm the nerves, and lower blood pressure. Laboratory analysis reveals that bracken contains various pterosins, steroidal ketones, and glycosides, which have certain therapeutic effects on conditions such as arthritis, hypertension, leukorrhea, and rectal prolapse.