Common polypody

Sun

Partial shade to full shade; tolerates some sun in cool climates if the roots remain moist.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once rooted, it tolerates short dry spells, but prolonged drought can cause fronds to curl or die back.

Soil

Humus-rich, well-drained soil, preferably acidic to neutral. Also grows in mossy rock crevices and pockets of leaf mould; avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m), gradually spreading farther by creeping rhizomes

Foliage

Evergreen. Narrow, leathery green fronds divided into rounded or pointed lobes. Round, golden-brown spore clusters form in rows on the undersides of mature fronds.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Mildly toxic: may upset a stomach

Native to

the UK

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant with the creeping rhizome at the surface rather than burying it deeply.
• Water during dry spells through the first growing season.
• Add a light layer of leaf mould around the plant each year, keeping the rhizomes uncovered.
• Avoid heavy feeding; established plants usually need no fertilizer.
• Divide crowded patches in spring, leaving several healthy fronds and roots on each piece.

Pruning. In spring, cut off dead or badly damaged fronds at their bases before new growth develops. Keep healthy green fronds rather than cutting the whole plant back each year.

Spring

Remove dead fronds and check that fallen leaves have not buried the rhizomes.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps and water them thoroughly.

Summer

Water young plants during dry weather; check established patches if fronds curl persistently.

Autumn

Add a thin layer of leaf mould around, rather than over, the rhizomes.

Winter

Leave green fronds intact and check that containers or planting pockets drain freely.

• Plant beneath deciduous trees with epimediums for a low, textured woodland layer.
• Tuck into shaded rock crevices or suitable pockets in old stone walls.
• Edge a shaded path with repeated small patches for evergreen structure.
• Grow in a shallow, freely draining container in a sheltered courtyard.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Moss and fern garden, Japanese, Secret garden, Low-maintenance and Winter interest.

Plant it with: Epimedium, Snowdrops, Hardy cyclamen, Hellebores, Wood anemones and Hart's-tongue fern.

Wildlife: Dense patches provide shelter for small invertebrates. As a fern, it produces no flowers, nectar or pollen.

• Waterlogged soil can rot rhizomes: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised planting pocket.
• Prolonged drought can curl and brown fronds: water deeply and add leaf mould around the roots.
• Strong sun and drying winds can scorch foliage: move the plant to a more sheltered, shaded position.
• Slugs and snails may damage emerging fronds: inspect new growth and remove pests by hand.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. No part is generally recognized as a serious poisoning hazard, but it is an ornamental fern, not a food plant, and eating it may cause digestive upset.

• Intermediate polypody (Polypodium interjectum)

  Often has larger, broader fronds and somewhat oval spore clusters, compared with the usually round clusters of common polypody. These features overlap, and confident identification may require microscopic examination.

• Southern polypody (Polypodium cambricum)

  Usually has broader, more triangular fronds and commonly makes fresh growth in autumn, with a summer resting period in dry conditions. Hybrids and variable frond shapes can make identification difficult.

Polypodium comes from Greek words meaning 'many feet', referring to the creeping, branching rhizome, while vulgare means 'common'.

Propagation. Divide creeping rhizomes in spring, keeping roots and several healthy fronds on each section. It can also be raised from ripe spores, though this is slow and requires clean, consistently humid conditions.

Accepted botanical name

Polypodium vulgare

Native range

Albania, Altay, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Cape Provinces, Central European Rus, Corse and Cyprus.

Measured

Average height 9 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.