Polypodium rhodopleuron

A creeping epiphytic polypody of Mexican and Central American montane forests, named for the reddish stalks and midribs of its fronds. It grows on mossy branches and rocks in oak and pine-oak forest with a marked dry season, and handles drying out better than most tropical ferns.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry

Light Dappled lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

Grows on trunks, branches and mossy rocks in humid montane oak, pine-oak and cloud forest. Like related Mexican Polypodium, the fronds can curl or partly drop in the dry season and recover when rains return.

Recorded from 20 to 2847 m, median about 1380 m; most records fall at 1000–2000 m.

MexicoGuatemalaEl SalvadorHondurasNicaraguaCosta RicaPanamá

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.