Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
Common
Name
Scientific
Name
Plant
Family
Garden
Location
Prime
Season
Interrupted Fern
Osmunda claytoniana L.
Osmundaceae – Royal Fern family
Woodland
Spring - Late Summer
Other names and notes
A vase shaped fern, which shape is very similar in appearance to the Cinnamon fern, but here, the fertile leaf is interrupted in the middle by smaller spore producing pinnae that resemble brown clusters of grapes. Above and below that "interruption" the sterile pinnae are the normal yellow-green color. These brown fertile pinnae fall off in late summer. There is also a lack of hair on the leaf margins. The pinnules become wider toward the moving toward the stalk. The main pinnule vein is unbranched. It grows in both shade and open areas. The plant prefers alkaline, dryer soils.
