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Rock Polypody, American Wall Fern

Polypodium virginianum, commonly called common polypody, Virginiana polypody, rockcap fern or American wall fern, occurs on boulders, rocks, ledges and bluff crevices of sandstone, chert or granite. This is an evergreen fern that grows in creeping clumps to 10” tall with erect to arching, leathery, oblong-lanceolate to triangular, deeply-cut, pinnately lobed fronds. Recent research indicates this plant is a naturally occurring fertile hybrid of P. appalachianum and P. sibiricum

Photo: Wikimedia Commons | Public Domain

Larval Host for the

SIZE

SOIL

Medium

LIGHT

Part Shade, Shade

BENEFITS

Birds

NOTES

Works well in rock gardens

CHARACTERISTICS

Low Maintenance, Will Naturalize, Winter Interest, Drought Tolerant, Tolerates Rabbits

Non-Flowering

Fern

This 

flowers in

Rock Cap Fern

Polypodium virginianum

DETAIL VIEW

DESCRIPTION

Polypodium virginianum, commonly called common polypody, Virginiana polypody, rockcap fern or American wall fern, occurs on boulders, rocks, ledges and bluff crevices of sandstone, chert or granite. This is an evergreen fern that grows in creeping clumps to 10” tall with erect to arching, leathery, oblong-lanceolate to triangular, deeply-cut, pinnately lobed fronds. Recent research indicates this plant is a naturally occurring fertile hybrid of P. appalachianum and P. sibiricum

Photo: Wikimedia Commons | Public Domain
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