Ontario Ferns website

Royal Fern
Osmunda regalis

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) Other common names: Flowering Fern, Regal Fern

French names: Osmonde royale varieté brillante

Family: Flowering Fern Family (Osmundaceae)

Fronds: Twice divided

Height: 1-2 m (2-5 ft)

Habitat: Wet Areas;  Swamps and other wet areas.

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Common.

Notes: This is the only vascular plant found on all seven continents.

Photographs: 356 photographs available, of which 15 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Here's a couple of the large Royal Fern fronds.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

A whole plant. C} likes to grow in very wet areas.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Some leaflets.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

A nice stand of Royal Fern.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

More...

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

This shows the leaf and frond shapes nicely.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

A herbarium specimen

(Royal Botanical Gardens Herbarium,Burlington,Ontario).

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Herbarium specimen showing a closeup of the leaflets.

(Royal Botanical Gardens Herbarium,Burlington,Ontario).

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Fertile fronds.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Fertile frond of a different plant.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Fiddlehead unfurling in the spring (late May).

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Last year's plants in winter.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Note the persistent end leaflets.

Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

Closeup view of one of the persistent end leaflets.


Range map for Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)