Osmunda Species, Flowering Fern, Royal Fern

Nice lighter looking, less stiff fern.

Does well with regular bed-watering, the atypical foliage provides an nice textural contrast in a fern garden. It tends to have a more fl...Read Moreat and spreading habit than many ferns as well.

This lovely fern is found in the Everglades, much warmer than Zone 9. My fern book tells me it is found throughout the peninsula of Flor...Read Moreida. Don't know about the Keys.

It is the base of this fern (like compressed little black sticks) that is often cut into slabs and used to mount orchids.

I agree with henryr, this fern is an aquatic or bog plant. It is native, though somewhat rare, in our area of Southeast Missouri. When fo...Read Moreund in nature, it is always streamside. When I purchased mine, it was labeled as a water plant. It is not growing in standing water, but it is in a plastic-lined bed with deep rich soil that I keep constantly moist. The plant also requires acid soil and light to medium shade.

I would actually take this one into the above average water category.
They will do well in average but around here they simply thr...Read Moreive on stream banks w/ their feet in the water.

Easily 5-6' and spreading about the same.

This is another native (Southeastern US) that performs remakably well in shady, moist gardens. In the fall, its fronds sometimes turn a ...Read Morebeautiful yellow.

Late to emerge in spring. Plant grows happily in standing water, also somewhat dry conditions. Good clump-former, with fronds continuin...Read Moreg to appear through season.