The word bracken is of Old Norse origin, related to Swedish bräken and Danish bregne, both meaning fern.

The plant sends up large, triangular fronds from a wide-creeping underground rootstock, and may form dense thickets.

In cold environments, bracken is deciduous and, as it requires well-drained soil, is generally found growing on the sides of hills.

Grazing provided some control by stock trampling, but this has almost ceased since the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak reduced commercial livestock production.

Bracken is a well-adapted pioneer plant which can colonise land quickly, with the potential to extend its area by as much as 1%–3% per year.

This ability to expand rapidly at the expense of other plants and wildlife can cause major problems for land users and managers.

Bracken is known to produce and release allelopathic chemicals, which is an important factor in its ability to dominate other vegetation, particularly in regrowth after fire.

Herb and tree seedling growth may be inhibited even after bracken is removed, apparently because active plant toxins remain in the soil.

Climbing corydalis, wild gladiolus, and chickweed wintergreen also seem to benefit from the conditions found under bracken stands.

The high humidity in the stands helps mosses survive underneath, including Campylopus flexuosus, Hypnum cupressiforme, Polytrichum commune, Pseudoscelopodium purum and Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus.

In Korea, bracken (sometimes referred to as 'fernbrake' in Korean recipes) is known as gosari (고사리), and is a typical ingredient in bibimbap, a popular mixed rice dish.

Warabimochi bracken jelly, named after its resemblance to mochi rice cakes, is a popular traditional dessert, although commercial variants are often made with cheaper potato starch instead.

[9][11] Bracken leaves are used in the Mediterranean region to filter sheep's milk, and to store freshly made ricotta cheese.

[14] It has advantages over other sources of plant ash, such as hardwood, due to its high potash yield as a percentage of both dry and fresh mass, abundance, growth rate, and ease of harvesting.

[15] Bracken has been recognized as a source of potash since at least the 10th century AD, with numerous references in European texts, typically in relation to its use for soap and glass making.

[16] Bracken contains the carcinogenic compound ptaquiloside, which causes damage to DNA, thus leading to cancers of the digestive tract.

[18] Consumption of ptaquiloside-contaminated milk is thought to contribute to human gastric cancer in the Andean states of Venezuela.

[20] Korean and Japanese cooks have traditionally soaked the shoots in water and ash to detoxify the plant before eating.

The root systems of established bracken stands degrade archaeological sites by disrupting the strata and other physical evidence.

Management can be difficult and expensive; plans may need to be about cost-effective, practical limitation and control rather than give an expectation for eradication.

Given the decades elapsed to arrive at the current levels of coverage on many sites, slowing or reversing the process will be also of necessity long-term, with consistency and persistence from all parties being key.

The toxicity of Asulam is low and has been generally highly cost-effective but its use is now restricted by the EU after 2012, at least until specific registered uses can be defined.

The Group has also been responsible for submitting an application for an Emergency Authorisation to secure the continued availability of Asulam for bracken control, following the decision not to register the product under new regulations in the EU.