Ive had it for only a few days now but it seems to be doing well,At first it dried out somewhat over night, but I placed moist sphagnum moss behind it and its been looking good ever since, if you have access to it where you live you can try posting some on ebay, as long as you can collect it legally you should be fine, just try not to deplete you supply =)

Just wanted to let you guys know that there is an auction up for resurrection fern, "Resurrection fern -- polypodium polypodioides -oak bark Item number: 7744554954" I purchased my fern from this guy and he sent a handfull of live Spanish Moss and a Florida native Brom as extras! =) not to mention a fine fern!

hello
I'm wondering if the dry rest that it experiences naturally is an option?? here in Florida it almost disappears during winter and returns when summer rains begin. Have never tried it but have used woodii , bears foot and rabbits foot. They go dormant naturally but don't seem to require it.
gary

I don't think the dry rest is required. I checked my book Encyclopedia of Ferns and there was no mention of a dormant period being needed in cultivation. The book mentions that there are five different varieties found in a huge natural range that includes North, Central, and South America, the West Indies, and South Africa.

I wish I could find this species in Canada.

Hello Mikedahms
Canada has 5 polypodium species!
Here is a link that will get you to a page of a map of
one that occurs in BC. Excellent linking will get you to
maps of the others.
Canada Polypodium

I am familiar with the other Polypodium species but Polypodium polypodioides is not native to Canada and I have never seen it offered for sale here. I do know where to get some of the other species but they are too large for my terrarium. Polypodium glycyrrhiza is a pretty cool species but still too big for the space I have.

I got resurrection fern from an ebay seller in Florida. It grows only about 8 inches tall. I've had it a month and it's too soon to tell how well it will do in my terrariums.

Like a lot of arial plants, I grow it as a semi-terrestrial or terrestrial plant in the terrarium, since it dries out too fast if put up off the ground. Tilandsia and some orchids with thick leaves grow off the ground with only on-and-off supply of water. For tall orchids, I remove some soil and place broker brick, pottery, lava rock, or bark on the floor of the terrarium. I've gotten blooms that way and it seems to work well so far.

The fern (Polypodium polypodioides) seems to grow an extensive root structure. Plants moved seem to have trouble getting enough water even in a damp terrarium. Perhaps when they are established they will climb up onto dry bark on the back wall of my terrarium and create a nice effect.

I got lots more than I can use and will trade the extra or give it away--send me an email. I'm in Chicago, IL. (I think you can look up my email on this site--click on my name or something)

Hey mikedahms have you tried one of the native polypodiums?
I grow a native species, P. californicum and have it in
3 different pots. They are all outside. The size depends
upon how often they get watered. The one that does not get
watered that much stays low since it is in full sun. One that only get watered by rain and is not in full sun gets
larger whenever it appears. One I grow in more shade and water often is the largest.
Maybe there is a lesson here? Try one of your natives.
Try it in a spot that is drier and exposed to the most light
possible for your terrarium. See what happens. If it becomes the bully on the block yank it out!!! At least you can still it outside and it will do well!
Plants are like cats, you never know what they are thinking!

That's the problem ferns can be bullies. I had two different species of epiphytic ferns in my terrarium but I had to remove one after it climbed to the top of the back wall and put out enough fronds to completely stop the light from reaching most of the other plants. I still have a small Humata species but I selectively trim the fronds that become a problem.

I may still try Polypodium glycerhiza or virginianum but not in my current terrarium. The next terrarium I build will be much larger because I would really like to add more epiphytic ferns and large area of water.

My mother purchased a res. fern many years ago. It lived in our cabinet and once in a while she would take it out and place it in water and resurrect it. I asked her about it yesterday, she found it in a shed and placed it in water...we will see!! I know she's had it at least 30-35 years, and it hasn't been resurrected in over 15 years!!! Any suggestions on propagation if it is still alive? She still has the "somewhat rotted" paper that it came in.