Osmunda claytoniana
Interrupted Fern
Interrupted Fern grows in both shade and open areas. The plant prefers alkaline, drier soils, well drained, not marshy. Roots are a tangled mass of wiry black growth growing from a large rhizome. Ferns are usually found by streams and lakes. In spring, the crowns of crosiers unfurl to display lance shaped fronds in various shades of green. Most ferns thrive in moist, humous rich free draining soil in full or partial shade. Some will tolerate full sun for part of the day. Some species are drought tolerant and will thrive in walls and rock crevices.
Contributed by @TimH
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Full sun to partial shade
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Occasional watering
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Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Rich and free draining
Common name
Interrupted Fern
Latin name
Osmunda claytoniana
type
Fern
family
Osmundaceae
ph
7.0 - 8.0 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Full sun to partial shade
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Frost
Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Soil
Rich and free draining
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Water
Occasional watering
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
full grown dimensions
1.00 M
1.00 M
Osmunda claytoniana
Interrupted Fern grows in both shade and open areas. The plant prefers alkaline, drier soils, well drained, not marshy. Roots are a tangled mass of wiry black growth growing from a large rhizome. Ferns are usually found by streams and lakes. In spring, the crowns of crosiers unfurl to display lance shaped fronds in various shades of green. Most ferns thrive in moist, humous rich free draining soil in full or partial shade. Some will tolerate full sun for part of the day. Some species are drought tolerant and will thrive in walls and rock crevices.
Planting young plants
From Early Spring TO Early Spring
Plant ferns in spring and water them well in the first growing season, soaking the soil to a depth of 10cm. Dig plenty of leaf mould or wellrotted manure into the soil to add humus and apply a mulch of the same material round terrestrial ferns in spring.
Propagation from spores
From Late Autumn TO Early Winter
All ferns can be propagated by spores, but there are alternative methods that are simpler, produce more reliable, and quicker results, such as division. To propagate from spores, remove a portion of spore bearing frond when the capsules are brown and place it in a paper envelope to dry. The spores are ready for sowing when they start to be released as a yellow-brown dust. In spring, sterilise a container and an equal parts mix of coir and sand with boiling water. level the surface and cover until cool.. Collect a small amount of spores using the point of a knife and sow them thinly on the mix. Recover the container with cling film and cover the lot with a newspaper until germination occurs. It can take several months. Keep moist by placing the container in water regularly. Once small plants have developed, carefully prick them out and move into pans with the same mixture. When large enough to handle, harden them off and pot on singly.
Propagating by division
From Late Spring TO Late Spring
Using a fork dig up plant, trying to keep the root ball as complete as possible. Split the root ball at the centre with a sharp knife or a spade, or by placing two garden forks back-to-back into the middle of the root ball, and pushing the fork handles apart.to lever the root ball apart. Replant the new clumps to the same depth as the original, and water well. Keep well watered until established.
DeborahBanks
TimH