Matteuccia struthiopteris

Also called Fiddlehead Fern

AKA Matteuccia pensylvanica
Upright clump of big green lacy fronds
Smells like freshly-mown hay when fronds are broken
Short dark brown fertile fronds appear in the centre in late summer
Upright-arching habit
Spreads vigorously by shallow underground rhizomes
Deciduous

ZONE:
4

COLOUR:
Non-flowering

HEIGHT:
90-130 cm

SPREAD:
60-90 cm

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Growing and Maintenance Tips:

Matteuccia grows best in a moist to average, well-drained soil, in full shade or partial shade. They will tolerate dry, sunny locations, however, they may brown a little and go dormant earlier in these conditions.

Additional Notes about Ostrich Fern:

Native to Ontario

Larval host for a specialist moth, the Ostrich Fern Borer Moth. Young emerging fronds are occasionally eaten by large herbivores, including human beings.