I’ve actually written a small L‑system script that produces a fern‑like recursion; the code is basically a nested loop that keeps mirroring and rotating the same string until the resolution gets too fine. It looks like a living algorithm when you run it on a 2‑D canvas, but the plant itself is just a piece of static art. If you want something that grows in real time, I’d suggest hooking the L‑system to a step‑by‑step animation loop, then maybe feed in some noise to let the fronds wobble like actual leaves. That way you get both the perfect recursion and a hint of biological imperfection.

Sounds like a neat experiment. I’d start with a simple recursive function that draws a fern segment, then add a small random angle offset each recursion level. That keeps the overall spiral but gives each branch a slightly different twist. If you keep the randomness small, the fern still looks coherent, but the tiny variations add that breathing feel you’re after. You could also vary the scaling factor stochastically so some branches are a bit longer, which makes the whole structure feel more alive. Just remember to cap the recursion depth so the output doesn’t become a tangled mess.