Image - Wikimedia / Christian Fischer
Ferns are plants that have always attracted a lot of attention. Although their leaves are of a very common color in nature, their bearing and elegance make them plant beings of great ornamental interest. One of them is the royal fern.
Although it can reach a height of up to 160 centimeters, as it does not have invasive roots, it is a very good option to grow both in pots and in a shady corner of the garden.
Origin and characteristics
Image - Flickr / Ettore Balocchi
The royal fern, whose scientific name is osmunda regalis, is a deciduous plant native to Europe, Africa, Asia and America that grows in swamps. It produces sterile fronds (leaves) and other fertile ones separately: the first ones measure 60 to 160cm by 30-40cm wide, they are bipinnate composed of 7-9 pairs of pinnae; the fertile ones are erect, 20 to 50cm tall.
Its growth rate is quite fast. Unfortunately, in the Old Continent it is almost threatened by loss of habitat as a result of drainage of wetlands for agriculture.
There are four varieties:
- Regalis: grows in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.
- Panigrahiana: grows in India. It does not resist frost.
- Brasiliensis: grows in the tropical regions of Central America. It does not resist frost.
- Spectabilis - grows in eastern North America.
What are their cares?
Image - Wikimedia / Kristian Peters - Fabelfroh
If you want to have a real fern specimen, we recommend providing it with the following care:
- Location: it must be outside, in semi-shade. It is important that you do not give it direct sunlight, otherwise it will burn easily.
- Earth:
- Pot: universal growing substrate.
- Garden: grows in fertile, humid soils.
- Irrigation: very frequent. During the warm season we must ensure that the soil does not lose moisture, and in winter we will water 2 or maximum 3 times a week.
- Subscriber: in spring and summer with ecological fertilizers, once a month.
- Multiplication: by spores in spring.
- Rusticity: depending on the variety, it can resist cold and frosts down to -4ºC or, on the contrary, be very cold.
What did you think of the royal fern?