Wall Fern

Polypodium

Polypodium aureum
A tropical Wall Fern, reaching up to 3.3 x 6.5 feet, that is native to tropical America.
The leaves, up to 5 x 2 feet, are composed of leaflets up to 12 x 2 inches.
Hardy zones 10 to 12.

* photo taken on Jan 2011 in Deerfield Beach Arboretum, Florida
* photos taken on Aug 15 2014 @ Rawlings Conservatory, Baltimore, MD

* historic archive photo

Polypodium interjectum
An excellent, low groundcover Fern, forming clumps up to 2 x 6 feet, that is native to central and eastern Europe as well as parts of Scotland.
Unusual for Ferns, its new foliage is produced from August to October and persists late into winter.
The leathery, pinnate, narrow triangular, evergreen fronds, up to 20 x 3 inches, are wider than that of other species. The new fronds develop over a period lasting 4 weeks during early to mid summer. The foliage is mid-green.
Hardy zones 5 to 8 in partial to full shade. It is east to grow, even in containers.
Deer resistant. Tolerates wet soil.

Polypodium polypodioides ( Ressurrection Fern )
A Fern native to the United States that is named due its habit of withering up and playing dead during drought and springing back to life when moisture returns.
The fronds on this low growing Fern only reach 8 inches in height with the oblong leaf being divided into pairs of leathery deep green leaflets that are up to an inch in length.
Hardy zones 7 to 9, tolerating zone 6 on protected sites. It prefers partial to full shade on moist soil but is heat and drought tolerant.

Polypodium scouleri ( Coast Polypodium )
An evergreen, groundcover fern native to the west coast of North America ( from Vancouver Island to Nelson, British Columbia; south to Baja California ).
The stiff, leathery pinnate fronds, up to 24 x 11 inches, are glossy deep green.
Hardy zones 7 to 9 in partial to full shade on fertile, well drained soil. Very tolerant of summer drought.

Polypodium virginianum ( American Wall Fern )
A dense, mat-forming, evergreen groundcover Fern, native to eastern North America and eastern Asia. In North America, it is native from far northeastern Alberta to Winisk, Ontario to Newfoundland; south to Arkansas to northern Georgia. In eastern Asia, it is native to eastern Siberia, Mongolia, Korea and Japan. It is found on rock walls and rocky woodland in the wild.
This Fern is very similar to Polypodum vulgare except that its leathery, pinnate fronds are smaller, to 16 x 4 inches. The new fronds appear during early summer as the previous years fronds begin to die.
It is also hardier in the far north, thriving from zones 1 to 7 in partial shade.
It is often found growing out of cliffs and rocks.

* photos taken on Nov 27 2015 @ Hickory Run State Park, PA

* photo taken on July 9 2023 @ Scenic Caves, Collingwood, ON

* photos taken on Aug 19 2021 in Elora, ON

Polypodium vulgare ( Common Polypodium )
A moderate growing, evergreen groundcover Fern, forming clumps up to 2 x 6.5 feet, that is native to temperate and cold regions over much of the Northern Hemisphere as well as South Africa. It has never been common in the Windsor-Detroit region except for Kelly Island in Lake Erie where it was locally abundant before 1900. It also occurred sporadically along rocky streambanks on the Ohio shore.
The mid to deep green fronds, up to 2 feet in height, are narrowly erect with a leaf, up to 12 x 6 inches, that is divided into leathery lance-shaped leaflets, up to 2 The new fronds appear in early summer, developing over a period lasting 4 weeks. In mild climates it is evergreen.
Hardy zones 2 to 8 in partial to full shade on fertile, very well drained soil. Thrives on both alkaline, acidic and even dry stone soils. Very adaptable and easy to grow it is even found growing out of stone walls.

* photos taken on Nov 19 2016 @ London Town Gardens, Edgewater, MD

'Bifidum'
The fronds have forked pinnae.

'Uulong Island'
A clone originating in Korea, it is much more hardy in the hot humid southeastern U.S. than the species.