BRACKEN
Common Names: Bracken, Eagle Fern, Hog Brake, Pasture Brake.
Scientific Name: Pteridium aquilinum
When to Find: Spring.
Where to Find: Old fields, open woods, burned-over places.
Parts Used: Young fronds.
Warning: Plant may contain carcinogenic principles.
Preparation: Remove fuzz or velvet. Small curled fronds can be eaten raw. Cook for soup. Boil fronds and drink liquid for lung ailments.
Storage: Freeze, can, or pickle.
Identification: Soft shoot with curled top covered with thick velvet. As they mature, these uncurl and grow into a compound leaf with frondlike sections.
