Purple Royal Fern

A smaller cultivar of the majestic royal fern, Osmunda regalis Purpurascens is a clump-forming, deciduous fern, whose long, arching, heavily divided fronds emerge beautifully tinged reddish-purple before turning bright green in summer and yellow, then brown, in autumn. In late summer, rusty brown, spore-bearing ‘tassels’ appear at the tips of the fronds. The stems remain purple throughout the season. Royal fern Purpurascens does particularly well in bog gardens and beside streams, and looks lovely in shady plantings with large-leaved, moisture-loving plants like Rodgersias.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Reliably moist, even wet soil, preferably acidic
Position: Partial shade; tolerates full sun in cooler areas in reliably damp soils
Season of interest: Spring to autumn
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: up to 4’ (1.2m) Spread: 39” (1m)