Rock Polypody
Polypodium virginianum
Rock Polypody is a fern that can often be found clinging to boulders and
cliffs, usually in forests—and often near cedar trees. The plant can grow
up to a foot high and will remain green throughout the winter!
While some plants grow in a particular pattern, Rock Polypody grows
randomly and often as single fronds. Like all ferns, it reproduces using
spores, which are located under the fronds, bunched in large reddish
circles.
Often found clinging to boulders and cliffs!
To identify Rock Polypody, look at the leaf stalk (or
stipe): is it smooth or grooved? Does it have lightbrown scales? If it’s either smooth or with these brown
scales, it might be a Rock Polypody. Next, look at the
fronds: Rock Polypody fronds are compound with 1020 alternate leaflets, ‘once divided’ (meaning: the frond
is only ‘cut’ once). The leaflets are between 2 - 10” long
with pointed ends.
From left to right: Rock polypody seems to
grow right out of rocks (courtesy of Earl
J.S. Rook); the plant can be found in forests
throughout Canada and the eastern US (courtesy of the USDA); spores are found underneath fronds in large reddish circles (courtesy
of www.sierrapotomac.org).
A Lake Champlain Land Trust Nature Snapshot
Protecting lakeshore and natural areas since 1978
www.LCLT.org