Carried by 7 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Leathery Polypody (Polypodium scouleri) is a native fern that grows along the coast primarily in northern and central California, from Santa Barbara County northward, and on Santa Cruz Island. It tends to grow in fog drip or saltspray zones, at elevations from sea level to 2,000 feet. It is quite often seen growing on trees or fallen logs and spreads slowly by rhizomes. It is an attractive fern for shaded areas.
Plant type
Fern
Size
6 in Tall
1 ft Wide
Growth rate
Slow
Dormancy
Evergreen
Special uses
Containers, Deer resistant, Groundcover, Lawn alternative
Sun
Deep Shade, Partial Shade
Water
Moderate
Summer irrigation
Max 1x / month once established
Ease of care
Moderate
Cold tolerance
Tolerates cold to 20° F
Soil drainage
Medium
Soil description
Attaches to the roots or trunk of living or dead trees.
Sunset Zones
4*, 5*, 6, 16, 17*, 24
Site type
Fog drip or saltspray zones in conjunction with trees in the central to northern coast
Plant communities
Coastal Prairie, Coastal Strand, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Forest
Use in a damp, shaded area with other shade-loving plants such as other ferns, Wild Ginger (Asarum spp.), Bush Anemone (Carpenteria californica), Western Dichondra (Dichondra occidentalis), Dogwood (Cornus spp.), Wild Strawberry (Fragraria spp.), Alumroot (Heuchera spp.), Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), Currant/Gooseberry (Ribes spp.), Meadow Rue (Thalictrum spp.), Bee Plant (Scrophularia californica), and Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea)
Common names:
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