Repotting guide

When & how to repot Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza)

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.

Mature size: Fronds typically 15-40 cm long; spreads slowly across its container as the rhizome creeps.

How to tell licorice fern needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For licorice fern, watch for these signs:

Roots creeping out of the drainage holes or matting tightly across the soil surface.
The rootball dries out within a day or two no matter how much you water.
Water channels straight down the gap between rootball and pot without wetting the centre.
Steady decline — thin growth, persistent crispy edges — that good humidity and watering have not fixed. Only then is the disturbance of a repot worth the risk for licorice fern.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot licorice fern

Every 1–2 years, disturbing the roots as little as possible. Licorice Fern's 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. — sets the pace. 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.

What size pot to step licorice fern up to

Go up only one size and handle the rootball as little as possible. Licorice Fern resents root disturbance, so the goal is to slide the intact rootball into slightly more soil — not to tease, wash or prune the roots. A modest step up means less shock and a faster recovery.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot licorice fern

Early spring, just as new growth restarts, is the ideal window for licorice fern. The plant is moving into its strongest growth phase and re-roots into fresh soil quickly. Avoid repotting in winter dormancy or, for flowering plants, while it is in bud or bloom — recovery is slowest then and you risk dropping the flowers.

Step-by-step: repotting licorice fern

Keep disturbance to a minimum. Licorice Fern resents root disturbance, so the plan is to move the intact rootball — not to wash, tease or prune the roots.
Choose just one size up. Pick a pot only one size larger with drainage, and have moisture-retentive loose, fast-draining epiphytic mix ready.
Slide the rootball out whole. Water the day before, then ease licorice fern out keeping the rootball intact. Gently free only the roots that are circling the very bottom.
Nestle it into fresh soil. Add a base layer of fresh mix, set the rootball in at the same depth, and backfill gently around the sides without packing hard.
Water and protect. Water in, then keep it warm, humid and out of direct sun for a few weeks while it re-roots. Expect a short sulk — that is normal.

Aftercare

Expect licorice fern to sulk for a couple of weeks — that is normal after any root disturbance for this group. Keep it warm, humid and out of direct sun, water just enough to keep the mix lightly moist, and do not panic and overwater while it re-roots. Do not fertilise for about 4 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for licorice fern

Licorice Fern wants loose, fast-draining epiphytic mix. Orchid bark, coco coir, perlite, and a little leaf mould or sphagnum mimic its mossy-bark habitat. The rhizome should sit at or just below the surface, never buried, so it can creep and breathe. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting licorice fern — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot licorice fern?

Every 1–2 years, disturbing the roots as little as possible for licorice fern. Repot licorice fern every 1–2 years, disturbing the roots as little as possible — it sulks for weeks if the rootball is teased apart. Slide it into one size up in spring with fresh loose, fast-draining epiphytic mix, keep it warm and humid afterwards, and never bare-root or hard-prune the roots.

What size pot does licorice fern need?

When is the best time of year to repot licorice fern?

Why does licorice fern sulk after repotting?

Licorice Fern resents root disturbance, so a wilt or stall for a week or two after repotting is normal, not a failure. Minimise it by keeping the rootball intact, stepping up just one size, and keeping the plant warm, humid and out of direct sun while it re-roots.

Should you fertilise licorice fern after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 4 weeks after repotting licorice fern. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.