This large deciduous terrestrial fern has vertical dimorphic fronds with persistent leaf bases that form a woody trunk. The sterile dark green fronds form a vase-like crown that surrounds the narrow fertile fronds that produced spores during the late summer.

Hardiness zones 2 to 10

Matteuccia struthiopterisIs naturally found in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere from eastern and northern Europe to northern Asia and extending to northern North America growing in deciduous woodland commonly along the banks of water courses or amongst rocks in moist gullies.

It prefers a well-trained but moist organic rich silty sandy to clay loam that is a neutral tending acidic and grows in a wind protected shaded to semi-shade position. It is frost tolerant but drought tender and under hot dry conditions it becomes dormant.

The Ostrich Fern is grown for its attractive fronds and its clumping habit. It is planted along the moist garden borders as a ground cover or used as a specimen amongst rocks or around a water feature. It is also used in the understory of woodland settings and can be grown in pots or tubs and courtyard planter boxes.

It is suitable to coastal and low mountain regions and establishes in 2-3 years and is long lived. The tightly wound crozier (fiddlehead) are picked and cooked as a vegetable in a many rural regions and when planting out take care that there is ample room for the large fronds to develop. ID 2887

Matteuccia (mat-TEW-kee-uh) struthiopteris (struth-ee-OP-ter-is)

Onocleaceae (on-oh-kl-YA-see-ee)