Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern)

ostrich fern (1 quart)

Currently out of stock



Ostrich fern is a large, elegant, deciduous fern whose fiddleheads can be eaten in early spring. This is a large fern growing up to 6' tall and 2' wide in sun to full shade in moist soil. The foliage is dark green and has feathery fronds. It spreads by rhizomes. It is a good fern for moist shady woodland areas, near streams or ponds, and can be planted for greater effect with spring ephemerals and in wild gardens. Give it room to spread; don't plant it in a small space. 

Ostrich fern, one of the largest species of ferns in eastern North America, can be found in swamps, bottomland woods, and thickets. It favors riverbanks and sandbars, but sends out lateral stolons to form new crowns. As a result, it can form dense colonies resistant to destruction by floodwaters. Fiddleheads and fronds offer food for larger herbivores, and the fronds provide cover for smaller mammals and ground-frequenting birds. The fern is also a larval host for several moth species.

 

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