Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza)— schedule & NPK
Also called Licorice Fern, Licorice Root Fern.
More about licorice fern
About Licorice Fern
Polypodium glycyrrhiza · also called Licorice Fern, Licorice Root Fern · houseplant
Licorice fern is a small epiphytic Pacific Northwest native named for its sweet-tasting rhizomes. It naturally grows on mossy trunks and rocks, summer-dormant and winter-active. Indoors it wants cool, bright-indirect light, steady moisture, and high humidity. Give it a loose, bark-rich epiphytic mix and expect it to slow or drop fronds through warm, dry months.
Growth habit: Low, creeping epiphyte with a spreading scaly rhizome that sends up single, deeply pinnate (comb-like) fronds. Summer-deciduous: it dies back in heat and flushes new growth as cool, moist conditions return.
What fertiliser licorice fern actually wants — and why
Licorice Fern is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for licorice fern: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed licorice fern, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For licorice fern:
Feed lightly only during active growth (fall to spring) with a quarter- to half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser every 4-6 weeks. Do not feed during summer dormancy. Ferns are sensitive to salt buildup, so flush the mix occasionally. Treat that as every 4-6 weeks between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when licorice fern is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for licorice fern
Half strength is the safe default for licorice fern — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water licorice fern first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the licorice fern watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding licorice fern
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for licorice fern:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding licorice fern
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full licorice fern care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of licorice fern with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for licorice fern
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising licorice fern — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does licorice fern need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Licorice Fern is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed licorice fern?
Feed lightly only during active growth (fall to spring) with a quarter- to half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser every 4-6 weeks. Do not feed during summer dormancy. Ferns are sensitive to salt buildup, so flush the mix occasionally. Feed lightly only during active growth (fall to spring) with a quarter- to half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser every 4-6 weeks. Do not feed during summer dormancy. Ferns are sensitive to salt buildup, so flush the mix occasionally. Treat that as every 4-6 weeks between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for licorice fern?
Half strength is the safe default for licorice fern — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding licorice fern look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding licorice fern year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of licorice fern?
Flush the pot of licorice fern with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Licorice Fern care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water licorice fern — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise snake plant
- How to fertilise dracaena
- How to fertilise peperomia
- All 2464 fertilising guides in the Growli library