The common spotted fern, also known as angel sweet in this country, originated in the tropical rainforests of South America. These perennial plant giants of prehistory have populated the globe for more than 200 million years. Spotted ferns have diverse health-promoting effects and are found worldwide in more than 50 plant genera and 1200 different species.
Occurrence and cultivation of common spotted fern.
During spore ripening from July to October, the eponymous circular and spotted spore groups form on the undersides of the leathery, dark green leaves. The common spotted fern (Polypodium vulgare) belongs to the genus of spotted ferns (Polypodium). This perennial, green year-round plant forms dense stands of sparsely pinnate leaf fronds up to 50 centimeters long. During spore maturity from July to October, the eponymous circular and spotted groups of spores form on the undersides of the leathery, dark green leaves. The true fern is a 10 to 40 centimeter tall and creeping plant that forms rhizomes – rooted, above-ground earth shoots. This native sprouting plant appreciates shady to semi-shady sites that are mild in winter and moderately dry and free of lime. Spotted fern is found on mossy soils in oak and beech woodlands, and often on shady wall crevices. The common spotted fern thrives area-wide in humid zones on sand, rock, and clay soils. With its frost-resistant fronds, the semi-shade plant grows up to altitudes of 1200 meters. In Germany, its range extends from the Allgäu Alps in Vorarlberg, to the Bavarian Forest and the Rott and Inn valleys.
Effect and application
For millions of years, huge fern colonies dominated the tropical and subtropical flora of our planet. The spotted ferns of the impenetrable rainforests of South America are giants of the earth’s antiquity to this day, living witnesses to the history of evolution. The perennial fern genus with pinnate, entire or toothed fronds is represented worldwide by about 200 different species. Three medium-growing, non-flowering wild perennial species are native to Europe. In addition to the common spotted fern, the saw spotted fern (Polypodium cambricum L.) and the medium spotted fern (Polypodium interjectum Shivas) grow extensively from Central Europe to the Near East and Northwest Africa. The hardy spotted ferns thrive excellently in stony beds and shady rocky areas, are a decorative grave planting and evergreen winter shelter for topiaries. The filigree fronds of this foliage-decorating perennial are popular as cut foliage for floral bouquets and are also popular eye-catchers as decorative houseplants. When grown indoors, true ferns require little care in an ideal location. Without direct sunlight and at a constant humidity of 20 degrees, the spur plants grow up to one meter high. The botanical name Polypodium is derived from the Greek and means many-footed. The creeping rhizomes of the rootstock, the “many-footed” spore groups, show up in this fern genus with the typical spotted spore pattern. The vernacular gave the name angel sweet to the common spotted fern, due to its licorice-like sweet taste. The wild plant is also known in this country as frigelsweet, oak fern or coral root. Even in ancient times, the Romans and Greeks appreciated the many healing properties of angelica. Thus, the root was used to make poultices against rheumatic complaints and ointment preparations with laxative, bilious and expectorant properties. In the herbal books of the Middle Ages, tea preparations from the rootstock were recommended for internal use against parasitic infestations in the intestinal tract, hoarseness, cough, whooping cough, nightmares, gout, constipation and liver diseases. For a long time, angelsweet was considered a tried and tested means of hygienic room disinfection in cases of insect infestation and as a pig substitute feed in times of food emergency. In traditional Chinese medicine, the medicinal plant has been known for thousands of years as a valuable ethnobotanical – as an effective remedy for dislocations, sprains, for water retention, tinnitus and even for external use on skin abrasions.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The common spotted fern contains a wealth of medicinally useful ingredients.Its high content of health-promoting bitter substances, tannins and mucilage, flavonoids, resins, essential oils, pteridine, phloroglucin, glycyrrhizin and sugars makes the non-fragrant plant an extremely potent natural medicine. The steroid saponin osladin is a natural sweetener from the ground-level shoots of the rootstock and is responsible for the plant’s specific sweet taste. However, industrial extraction is not worthwhile here, as osladin occurs only in very low concentrations. In addition, angelsweet contains the ingredient ecdysterone, a hormone-like substance that is used in complex remedies for sportsmen’s build-up preparations for muscle stimulation. Traditionally, common stipple fern is used in preparations to increase secretion of bile juices and as a mild laxative with diuretic effects. The constituents of the rhizomes have an appetizing and soothing effect on sore throats, stomach aches, hives, spleen and liver complaints. Folk medicine praises angelica as a natural antibiotic, but scientifically this statement is neither proven nor sufficiently documented. Caution is always advised in self-therapies – overdose threatens poisoning, and in the worst cases respiratory arrest and death. Ideal are administrations with finished preparations, provided that a medically indicated therapeutic necessity is given. Pharmacies, natural medicine suppliers and drug manufacturers offer today a broad spectrum of high-quality angel sweet complex means. These broadly effective combination preparations are offered in ointment form as foot ointment against joint inflammations or callus formation, in drop or tablet formulations against diarrhea, heartburn and intestinal inflammations or as capsules for basic sun protection. If you want to make your own tea preparation for acute sore throats and stomach aches, you should also use commercially available ready-made mixtures. DIY recipe tip: 15 grams of dried angelica root extract is first brewed with 500 milliliters of boiling water. The tea preparation should steep for 10 minutes and is then strained. If necessary, the tea beverage to be taken in doses throughout the day can be sweetened with honey.
