Little Gray Polypody Pleopeltis michauxiana

The resurrection fern is a North Carolina native evergreen fern found throughout most of the state. The fern is native to the Southeastern US, Mexico and Central America. It is an epiphyte in the polypody family (Polypodiaceae). The name of the genus is compounded from the Greek meaning "many scales," referring to the scaly trichomes on the leaves and rhizomes of these ferns. The species epithet honors André Michaux (1746–1802), Royal Botanist to Louis XVI of France, who explored and collected plants from North America. 

The fern is best grown in ways that mimic its growth in nature. It can be established on rough-barked trees among mosses or other epiphytes. Oak trees are excellent phorophytes (supporting substrate). The resurrection fern likes partial shade or dappled light. It is highly drought-tolerant once established. 

The resurrection fern produces both fertile and sterile fronds, which have the same shape (monomorphic). The fertile fronds produce up to 80+ ball-shaped sporangia from June to October.  The sporangia are aggregated into discrete, flattened and rounded to oval “fruit dots” (sori) on the undersides of lobes. The sori are arranged in rows on either side of the central veins, develop without a protective cover (indusium) and transition to brown as they mature. A characteristic of this fern is that there is a dent on the upper side of the lobes above each sorus. (see the image above)

It grows on the trunks of rough-barked trees or in the crevices of rocks in which organic matter has accumulated. It obtains nutrients and water from the rainfall and debris, not from the soil. These ferns often co-exist with mosses. The reference to resurrection refers to the ability of this fern to transition from seemingly dead and dehydrated to a healthy, green plant after a rainfall. This fern can lose 95% of its water content and survive due to the presence of cellular proteins called dehydrins that concentrate along the cell walls and prevent the cells from collapsing.

Good locations for the resurrection fern are on rough tree barks, among mossy rocks, and in native gardens on or near places that accumulate leaf litter and are open to air and rainfall.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious problems. Watch for the Florida fern caterpillar.