Royal Fern

One of the most striking and largest of all our ferns, the Royal Fern will really be a noble presence in your garden. Typically around 3 feet tall, in good conditions with enough water mature plants can stand a full 6 feet tall, with large, arching fronds that have a distinctive look. The leaflets are unusually broad, and well-spaced along the leaf-stem, giving this plant a fuller look that is beautiful but not as ‘ferny’ as many other ferns are. It is also unusual for ‘flowering’ – at least, the ends of the fronds on older plants produce tan-brown tassels that carry the spores ferns produce instead of seeds. This is a deciduous fern, and the fronds turn bright yellow and then light brown in fall. The whole plant is strikingly attractive, and a great addition to your shade garden, especially in the wettest parts. It grows fine in ordinary to moist soil, but really thrives in water, at the edge of a pond or stream, or in a low-lying, boggy part of your garden. Use it in the background of shorter ferns and other shade-lovers, although in cold zones, with constant water, it can be grown out in full sun. A superb choice where you have room, and one of the most spectacular of all ferns. It’s a native species too, so ideal for adding interest to natural areas.

• Spectacular, larger fern to 6 feet in ideal conditions
• Broad, open fronds give a unique look
• ’Flowers’, with spores produced at the clustered tips of mature fronds
• Ideal for wet locations and standing water, but grows in ordinary beds as well
• A plant native to North America, so ideal for natural gardening

The Royal Fern should normally be planted in areas with a little sun, or in full shade – even deep shade is tolerated. In cold areas it will grow in full sun if there is constant moisture. Can be grown in ordinary soils, but does best in moist to wet ground that is rich in organic matter, and preferably acidic. It can be planted right at the edge of a pond, and even directly in shallow water. It isn’t eaten by deer or rabbits, and doesn’t have any pest or disease problems, but may scorch in summer if in too much sun and/or soil that is too dry. Remove dead fronds between late fall and early spring, before new growth appears.