Osmunda spp.
royal fern
Temperate and subtropical Northern Hemisphere
Overview
Osmunda is a genus of large deciduous ferns in the family Osmundaceae, the royal or flowering ferns, found in wetlands across temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. After the cinnamon fern was moved to Osmundastrum, the genus holds a handful of species, including the royal fern (O. regalis) of Europe, Africa, and Asia and the American royal fern (O. spectabilis). Plants form large, vase-shaped clumps of bipinnate fronds 0.6-2 m (2-6.5 ft) tall, with widely spaced, oblong leaflets that give the fronds an open, almost shrub-like look. The fronds rise from a massive, slowly creeping rootstock of densely matted, wiry roots. The ferns are dimorphic in part: fertile portions of the frond, or separate fertile fronds, carry clusters of bead-like sporangia that turn golden-brown, suggesting a flower head and giving rise to the name flowering fern. These ferns grow in bogs, marshes, wet woodland, and along streams in acidic, peaty soil, and they tolerate standing water. The fibrous rootstock has been harvested as osmunda fibre for growing orchids.
Native Range
Osmunda is native to wetlands across temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It grows in bogs, marshes, wet woodland, fens, and stream and pond margins on acidic, peaty soils.Suggested Uses
Osmunda ferns are grown in bog gardens, pond and stream margins, rain gardens, and damp woodland where their size and upright clumps suit a wet, naturalistic setting. The wiry rootstock fibre has been used as a growing medium for orchids and other epiphytes.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2' - 6'6"
Width/Spread2' - 5'
Bloom Information
As ferns, Osmunda species do not flower. The bead-like fertile segments release spores in late spring and early summer, turning from green to golden-brown; the spores are short-lived and germinate quickly in wet ground.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight