top of page

  

PLANT FINDER
fern

Royal Fern

Osmunda regalis

Add To My Plant List

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) at Wallitsch Garden Center

Royal Fern foliage

Royal Fern foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) at Wallitsch Garden Center

Royal Fern

Royal Fern

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) at Wallitsch Garden Center

Royal Fern in spring

Royal Fern in spring

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  5 feet

Spacing:  24 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  3

Ornamental Features

Royal Fern features bold spikes of brown flowers rising above the foliage in mid summer. Its enormous oval bipinnately compound leaves are green in color. The foliage often turns tan in fall.

Landscape Attributes

Royal Fern is an herbaceous fern with a shapely form and gracefully arching fronds. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Spreading

Royal Fern is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Groundcover
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
  • Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Royal Fern will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant performs well in both full sun and full shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Groundcover  Naturalizing  Bog 
Applications
Flowers  Texture  Plant Form 
Ornamental Features

Disclaimer - This Plant Finder tool is an online resource representing many of the varieties that we carry over the course of the season, and is intended for informational purposes only. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact the store directly for availability. Additionally, the Plant Finder tool does not include our entire inventory of plants, so be sure to visit our store to see varieties that may not be represented on this list.

Contact Us!

Address: 2608 Hikes Ln Louisville, KY

Phone: 1-502-454-3553

Email: askus@wallitsch.net

Hours of Operation

Monday- Saturday: 9:00am - 5:00pm

Sunday : 11:00am - 5:00pm

​

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
bottom of page