I was looking through the Oyster Bay Harbour newsletter when I found a great piece (article and images) about the Resurrection Fern, or the polypodium polypodioides, written by Betsy, who does a fabulous job with this neighborhood’s newsletter.

This small fern attaches to the branches of trees, rocks and sometimes the ground. When the fern is dry its fronds turn gray and curl up in a wad. After a rain, the moisture returns resurrecting the plant to its soft, green original shape.

Resurrection fern can be found in many places in the United States, but in the Southeast the fern thrives on the large branches of the live oak tree. Growing best in partial shade to full sun, the fern does not harm the tree and gets all it needs to survive from the rain and the air.

“Wikipedia says that it may survive 100 years with no moisture and still be revived. It made the trip on a space shuttle to unfurl at zero gravity!” The newsletter reported.

This image is the “before and after” in a Bay View Drive yard in Oyster Bay Harbour.