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Interrupted Fern

Claytosmunda claytoniana

—
Not scored

Native status: sources disagree, under review. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height
2–4 feet
Spread
2–4 feet
Light
Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Moist to standing water

Space about 3 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 11 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous or evergreen

County records are not available.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

7CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including MS

Genus host records with ranges including MS · Osmunda

  • Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
  • Fagitana litteraMarsh Fern Moth
  • Herpetogramma aeglealisSerpentine Webworm
  • Olethreutes osmundanaFern Olethreutes
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Papaipema speciosissimaOsmunda Borer
  • Herpetogramma theseusalis
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Osmundaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–8b
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
Not applicable

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Flower color · “Not applicable” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  • Hardiness · “Zones 3a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
  • Height · “2–4 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, Minnesota Wildflowers differ)
  • Leaves · “Deciduous or evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
  • Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
  • Soil · “Frequent standing water; Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ)
  • Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Spread · “2–4 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differs)
Also known as

Osmunda claytoniana; fern

Conservation status

Mississippi rankSNA
Global rankG5
MS statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources