Usage Royal fern provides a dramatic, tropical effect in a shady border, woodland garden or at the edge of a pond or stream. It does best in soils with an acidic pH. The young croziers or fiddleheads can be prepared like asparagus and eaten. Native Americans used various parts of royal fern medicinally to treat a variety of ailments. Features Royal fern is truly the king of the ferns. It is the largest and most spectacular fern occurring in North America.
Royal fern is, however, legally available from nurseries specializing in native plants.