Your help is appreciated. We depend on donations to help keep this site free and up to date for you. Can you please help us?

Donate

Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Questions and Answers: 2021

Question: Plant apps have given me an id of royal fern (Osmunda regalis) but to me this looks very different. Seen …

  • Question

    Plant apps have given me an id of royal fern (Osmunda regalis) but to me this looks very different. Seen in October at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Sharon, MA, in a wetland area. Is it just fresh growth or something different?

    Answer

    Dear lfarnitano, good afternoon. While a bit unusual, it does look like the fern Osmunda spectabilis (American royal fern). While identification apps frequently make mistakes, I think this one led you to the correct species. Best wishes.