The Fern Tree, native to the Western Ghats, is an evergreen medium sized tree that grows between 5 to 20 meters tall (approximately 16 to 65 feet).

Its botanical name, Felicium decipiens, literally stands for 'the deceptive fern' since Felicium in Latin means 'fern' and decipiens means 'deceptive' as its leaves resemble the fronds or leaves of the fern plant.

The trunk is pale brown and smooth that turns reddish-grey and flaky as it ages.

The male and female flowers are slightly distinct in appearance and bloom from winter to spring.

Its fruits are tiny and turn purplish red when ripe but are inedible to humans.

The tree is propagated through seed germination only. The seeds are mostly dispersed by birds after eating the fruit, which is why the tree is considered a weed in some countries.

In India, it is mostly cultivated as a wind breaker and for shade. The trees grown on favorable locations turn out to have a hard and heavy wood as it builds a natural resistance to termites and decay.