Osmunda regalis

Sizes available: 2 quart

Basics: zones 3-10, 3-4' x 2-3', fronds can be up to six feet long at maturity, partial to full shade, can grow in shallow water and is not too particular as to soil type, however it prefers acid and will be smaller on neutral to lime-y soils. This fern can take quite a bit of sun if growing right in some water.

Common names: Royal Fern, Flowering Fern (see the image of the inflorescence)

Family: Osmundaceae

Origin/Distribution: Newfoundland to Ontario, south to Florida and Texas. As well as being native to North and South America, this fern is native to Western Eurasia. Also native to Maine.

Habitat: the consistently damp and wet places: marsh, bog, stream bank, swamp, water-holding low places in field, meadow, savanna, and prairie

More: A magnificent specimen for a water garden. Slow to get started and a slow spreader, so be patient.The fibers in the root crown are harvested as a growing medium for potted orchids.

Why grow ferns besides your admiration for a plant that has been present on Earth for over 360 billion years? Ferns support wildlife by creating protective cover and shady, moist micro-habitats, in particular for small mammals and invertebrates. The fuzzy covering on emerging croziers is used by birds for nesting material. Ferns help prevent erosion and filter run-off. For the gardener they offer the gifts of graceful architecture and low-maintenance textural beauty.

Nursery: Van Berkum

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons; Marcia Boyle via Creative Commons; Krzysztof Ziarnek via Creative Commons - The CC images were obtained through the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox