Royal Fern

Turn any waste area, soggy patch, dark, gloomy area of your landscape into a verdant imperial garden with a Royal Fern!

The Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) is an upright, deciduous Fern that brings resilience and beauty to tougher locations in the landscape, not to mention a great many designer qualities as well!

Emerging pinkish in the early spring, the cut-leaf fronds quickly turn green, as foliage fills an area with gorgeous hues and cool color saturation. A native Fern, they inhabit a wide range of climates and conditions throughout the US.

The Royal Fern is also known as the Flowering Fern and is a lovely deciduous perennial. The broad fronds have large, well-separated pinnae (leaflets) which give this Fern a lacy, ethereal appearance.

The foliage produces spore-producing, blooming structures called 'Sori', that grow as brown, tassel-like clusters at the tips of the fronds. Thus giving rise to its common name the Flowering Fern. Rising above the greenery like curious spires, these contrasting structures also take on a yellow to cinnamon-brown color in autumn.

The delicate fronds too, typically turn yellow to cinnamon-brown in autumn, before dying back to the ground each winter. Rarely damaged by deer, this naturalizing Fern fills the shade garden void.

How to Use Royal Fern In The Landscape

Royal Ferns typically grow in dense clumps, 2-3' tall, but with constant moisture can reach 6' in height. Usually occurs in nature on moist bluffs, cascading over misty ledges and waving along streams and sometimes growing in the water!

Need protection for wildlife? This large Fern occasionally forms sizable colonies that provide cover for wildlife, especially when in higher moisture locations. Not become damaged by woodland creatures either. Royal Fern is highly resistant to damage from browsing animals.

And if you are looking for a plant that can thrive in wet areas, along ponds, streams, and that tricky area where the gutters or HVAC systems drain, these are natural options! Water gardens or even bogs, the Royal Fern is an excellent choice.

You can expect Royal Fern to grow well in shady borders, magical woodland gardens, wild swales and native plantings too. Tolerating year-round shallow water! Standing mighty among Hosta and Bleeding Hearts, Royal Fern spruces up other shade-loving perennial.

It's no wonder why this plant won an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society!

#ProPlantTips For Care

Growing in tight, compact clumps, be sure to give these the room to grow to their potential height and spread when happy! Royal Fern may become quite sizable if planted in rich moist soil and provided enough shade.

Preferring consistently moist soil that is acidic, Royal Fern does even better in rich organic matter. Even thriving in clay! Royal Fern can tolerate standing water at times as long as it is not stagnant pools. Be sure to improve the drainage of your soil before planting and add humus and compost, plus amendments that will increase the acidic soil qualities.

These are shade-loving plants and will not do well in full sun. Preferring dappled sites and full shade only. Tolerating part sun locations only if they have nearly constant access to water.

Easy-care and requiring very little maintenance, Royal Fern are especially great for out-of-the-way areas to add that lush greenery you can plant and forget about!

You'll wonder why you waited so long to create a garden space fit for fairy royalty! Order your own Royal Fern from Nature Hills Nursery today!