Possum Tail Fern

 

This is a new fern for me this year and I find it very hardy and easy growing. It has the somewhat unwieldy name of Scyphularia  pycnocarpa, which I will not be able to remember and will just default to Possum Tail or black grub/caterpillar fern. It grows by producing a creeping rhizome  that sprouts the leaves. the leaves are deep green and shiny, and th rhizome is covered in brown stiff hairs. it can get by with less water than many ferns and in fact during the winter when growth has slowed, it is best to water only lightly. I actually favor it over the more common rabbit's foot fern because it has more dense foliage. It seems not to get dried out tips as bad as some ferns and I think it is a good one for people who like ferns but sometimes forget to water.