Can the roots of the fern destroy large rocks and make parts of the rock fall down?

Question

About 17 years ago, the huge rocks between our house and the neighbours' border were very clean on the surface. Now there are lots of ferns and some of the parts of the rocks have fallen down. Of those fallen rocks, they range from 0.5kg to 100kg.

Answer 1

Although roots from a fern will not break down rock the way tree roots can break through the foundation of a house, there is probably an interaction between the breaking down of the rocks and the ferns. Weathering activities, particularly freezing and thawing create fissures in rock. Plants such as ferns can grow in these fissures. By doing so they further break down the "soft" rock and they draw and keep water in the fissures, thus adding to the weathering. So while the fern roots are not likely splitting the rocks, they are hastening and contributing to the weathering process.

Answer 2

Fern roots can't break rock, Remember, rock/scissors/paper.
The rocks develop cracks for different reasons, and the fern roots move in to the space provided