interrupted fern
Osmunda claytoniana
USDA zones3 to 8
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size2 to 3 feet tall2 to 3 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Habit
- Herb , fern
- Bloom color
- Non-flowering
- Foliage color
- Dark green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Interrupted fern (Osmunda claytoniana) is a fern for shade gardens, borders, and containers. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and average to wet, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Sterile fronds bend outward in a vase-shaped circle around the spore-bearing fronds in the center. Deer and rabbits tend to browse other plants first. It is easy to cultivate.
Pairs well with Royal Standard hosta, Sensitive fern, and Cheerfulness daffodil.
Native range
North America, Himalaya, and China.