Royal Fern

The Royal Fern (osmunda ragalis) is a very large fern that bears its name of "royal" well. With a thick stump and fronds growing in tufts, its deciduous pinkish foliage begins light green and turns red in autumn. There are two kinds of long, petiolate fronds, the shortest ones, with slightly serrated margins, are sterile; the longer fertile fronds carry spore cases that are perfectly visible in summer (July to September) forming kinds of green bars that turn rusty brown.