Matteuccia struthiopteris
Common name: Ostrich Fern
Ostrich fern is a clump-forming, arching, deciduous fern which typically grows 2-3' tall in cultivation. Great fern for massing in moist, shady woodland areas, wild gardens or wet areas near streams or ponds. Interplant with early spring wildflowers like trilliums, bloodroot, and Virginia bluebells which will be well on the way toward dormancy by the time this fern reaches full size. Prefers rich soils with constant moisture, but will easily grow in average, medium to wet soil in part to full shade. Spreads by underground rhizomes to form dense colonies in optimum growing conditions. For those of you that are foragers, the young fiddleheads taste a lot like green beans both raw and slightly steamed.
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Plant Details
Plant type
Ferns
Soil type
Mesic (Not too Wet Not too Dry), Moist Mesic, Wet
Light exposure
Eastern Exposure / Morning Sun, High Canopy Shade (Usually from oaks), Partial Sun / Part Shade, Shade
Bloom period
Spring
Urban environment
Uncompacted Urban Soils, Yards that Flood
Habitat
Floodplain, Moist Woods, Savannas, Wetlands, Woodlands
Growth form
Colonizing / Spreading, Rhizomatous/stoloniferous
Growth rate
Fast
Flower color
N/A
Fall color
Yellow
Size
- Mature height
- 2 Feet
- Mature width
- 1 Feet
- Max height
- 4 Feet
- Max width
- 2 Feet
Additional information
Great for Screening/Border Plantings Rain garden suited