This deciduous fern grows in large clumps that can reach a height of more than 1.5 metres. The bright green leaves turn a rich, reddish-brown in autumn before dying back. Royal ferns grow well in damp places, from bogs and wet woodland to ditches and riverbanks.
How to identify
A large, robust fern that grows in clumps. The fronds are tall and bipinnately divided. They are a rich green in spring and turn an attractive red-brown in autumn.
Distribution
Most widespread in the west of the British Isles, from northwest Scotland down to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, including Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Also found widely in southern England and in scattered areas elsewhere - often as a garden escapee.
Did you know?
In Victorian times, ferns became extremely popular and many royal ferns were collected for display in gardens. They were also collected to create osmunda fibre, a growing medium for cultivating orchids. This heavy collection, along with habitat loss, led to a decline in royal ferns in the wild.
