Royal Fern

Common Names

Royal Fern

Summary

Osmunda regalis, commonly called royal fern, is a large deciduous fern native to Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, forming a tall arching clump of bipinnate fronds with broad pinnae, fronds emerge bright green in spring and often bronze or red brown in autumn, while rusty brown spore bearing pinnae appear at the frond tips, giving the plant a distinctive flowering fern appearance, it thrives in very wet habitats such as wetlands, streams, bogs, or damp woodlands and tolerates full sun if moisture is abundant, it is hardy in zones 3 to 9 and grows best in consistently moist, fertile soils, it prefers shade to partial shade but can tolerate some sun with ample moisture and can tolerate alkaline soils if ample fibrous compost is added, propagation is by spores or division, growth is low maintenance and generally pest and disease free, it suits ponds, streams, rain gardens, woodland borders, and naturalized wet gardens, and can be lifted and divided to manage vigor when needed.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

5-8 feet

Spread

24-36 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, acidic, humus-rich soils (any texture, including chalk, clay, or loam), often consistently moist or wet

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained soil

Soil pH

No single ideal pH; it tolerates acidic, neutral, and alkaline soils.

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Does not bloom in any season.

Foliage Color

Bright green

Fall Foliage Color

Red-brown

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Spores, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators