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Osmunda spectabilis Willdenow. Common name: American Royal Fern. Phenology: Mar-Jun. Habitat: Bogs, marshes (including tidal), moist forests, floodplains, wet meadows, swamp forests, ditches, and other wetlands. Distribution: NL (Newfoundland) west to MB, south to s. FL, e. TX; Mexico south through Central America to s. South America; West Indies.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: American O. spectabilis is more closely related to Asian O. japonica (=O. regalis var. japonica) and O. lancea than to European, African, and sw. Asian (typic) O. regalis (Metzgar et al. 2008; Tsutsumi et al. (2011); Arana & Ponce (2015); Tsutsumi et al. 2021). Specific rank therefore appears fully warranted for American royal ferns. Lehnert, Monjau, & Rosche (2023) presented an informal and provisional taxonomy in which O. spectabilis is recognized as having three "informal morphotaxa of unresolved taxonomic status": 'spectabilis, 'palustris', and 'piresii'; populations in our region all represent the informal morphotaxon 'spectabilis'.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Il, K4, POWO, Va, Arana & Ponce (2015), Lehnert, Monjau, & Rosche (2023), Sylvestre, Costa, & Arana (2022); = Osmunda regalis L. var. spectabilis (Willd.) A.Gray — AqW, Ar, Bah, C, Can, ETx1, F, Fl1, FNA2, G, GrPl, Mo1, NE, NS, NY, Pa, RAB, SFla, Tat, Tn, Tx, TxFerns, W, WH3, WV; < Osmunda regalis L. — Meso1, S13, Sf. Basionym: Osmunda spectabilis Willd. 1810

Links to other floras: = Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis - FNA2

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
  • Great Plains: OBL
  • Midwest: OBL
  • Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 5

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image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Osmunda spectabilis, Sporangia, Big Creek Swamp, Hilochee Wildlife Management Area, Lake County, Florida 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan Cressler: Osmunda spectabilis, Freshwater Marsh, Maritime Forest, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, Georgia 11 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Milo Pyne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Milo Pyne; Osmunda × ruggii (Osmunda spectabilis x Osmundastrum claytonianum) source CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

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Height: 1 - 2 ft.

plant sale text: American Royal Fern is a medium- to large-sized fern at maturity. It produces showy large fiddleheads in the spring. This native fern grows well in moderate shade in acidic soil that stays moist or wet. Consistent moisture is needed for it to keep its attractive appearance throughout the growing season. Royal Fern thrives when planted at the edge of bodies of water. The Iroquois collected and used the fiber from this fern as a stuffing for pillows. The genus Osmunda supports up to 6 lepidoptera species.

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native range: eastern North America to Mexico



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