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Interrupted Fern

Claytosmunda claytoniana

31
Good

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

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

Recorded in 64 Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 91 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

8CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Osmunda

  • Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
  • Fagitana litteraMarsh Fern Moth
  • Herpetogramma aeglealisSerpentine Webworm
  • Melanchra assimilisBlack Arches
  • 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)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist 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

Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources