Polypodium hesperium: Western Licorice Fern

Polypodium hesperium, the Western Licorice Fern or Western Polypody, is a deciduous to semi-evergreen fern native to western North America. It has a creeping, licorice-flavored rhizome and produces leathery, deeply pinnatifid fronds that are triangular in outline. The fronds are a bright, fresh green. It grows on rocks, cliffs, and tree trunks (especially bigleaf maple) in humid forests.

Plant Profile

This fern thrives in cool, humid, shaded conditions with good drainage. It is perfect for mossy rock gardens, logs, and woodland gardens in the Pacific Northwest and similar climates. The rhizome has a strong licorice flavor. It goes summer-dormant in dry conditions, reviving with autumn rains. A lovely native for naturalistic plantings.