I have a path, and want to apply a watercolour symbol or brush strokes to it

Is it possible to use existing watercolour tools, like watercolour symbols or brushes to only the fill of a vector path?

I've tried using the symbol sprayer over the path (which is a vector fern shape) and then creating a clipping mask, but the fern then loses the colour I want it to have.

Essentially, I want the fern to have a watercolour texture and be able to edit the colour of it without losing that texture. I'd love to do this in the most simple way possilble, but it sort of seems like that's not going to be a thing...

Thanks very much in advance.