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My Very Favorite Fern.

I love all ferns, but pressed to come up with a favorite, I'd have to say that it's Osmunda claytoniana, the "Interrupted Fern". This extremely easy to grow native fern makes up one third of the US Osmunda family. The other two relatives are Osmunda regalis, the "Royal Fern" and Osmunda cinnamomea, the "Cinnamon Fern", but more about those cousins later. Now at this point you're probably wondering about the common name, "Interrupted Fern", aren't you? Well, to explain that moniker visually, I've included a second image below that illustrates the very unusual means that this fern has evolved with to produce its spores. On a mature plant, the vegetative fronds commence growth in early Spring and then abruptly stop. At this juncture, fertile spores are produced and then vegetative growth restarts. Quite an unusual reproductive system, I must say. As far as I know, this habit is unique to this species alone.

Osmunda claytoniana is easily grown in medium to moist, even wet soils in part shade to full shade. In its native habitats, it usually is found in moist, rich, humusy, acidic soils, but happily adapts to much lesser conditions.

The plants in the images below are growing along a rock wall in my garden and have been in place about 10 years. A few years ago, a mature apple tree succumbed to ferocious Winter winds and blew over exposing the ferns to full, hot afternoon sun. They've adapted quite well and are now over 5 feet tall.

Their impressive stature is a welcome addition to every type of garden whether it's a mixed perennial border, a wild native or woodland garden or even in a formal setting.

Besides spores, they reproduce by offsets, but very slowly and never aggressively.

In all my 30 + years of growing this magnificent fern, I've never seen a deer or any other varmint bother with it. I've also never encountered any other insect, pest or disease problems.

There is quite an abundance of Osmunda claytoniana here now for me to share with you, and I promise that you will enjoy growing them and treasure their presence in your garden as much as I do them in mine.

What I'll be sending you are very large, 5 year old bareroot plants in active growth. They'll arrive on your doorstep with their roots wrapped in long fibered, unmilled sphagnum moss. This biodegradable material is antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and a very useful material.

The prices shown below include FREE SHIPPING on bareroot plants out of their 2" pots. If you would like to receive the plants undisturbed, in their pots, please add .95¢ per plant to cover the extra cost of shipping soil and pots.

4   for $ 25.00  delivered ($6.25 ea)
9   for $ 50.00  delivered ($5.50 ea)
15  for $ 75.00  delivered ($5.00 ea)
25  for $100.00  delivered ($4.00 ea)

Larger quantities at even lower prices upon request

Ordering couldn't be easier! Just fill out the order form at //www.sunfarm.com/orderform.pdf