Matteucia pennsylvanica 'Ostrich Fern'

Ostrich Fern

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)

A bold fern perennial with tall, feathery, vase-shaped green fronds that create a soft ostrich-plume look from spring through summer. It slowly spreads by rhizomes to form colonies, and it also produces shorter, upright, dark fertile fronds in the center of the clump that often persist into winter.

Type: Fern perennial
Mature Size: 3–6' wide x 2–3' high in cultivation, sometimes taller in cool, moist sites
USDA Zones: 3a–7b
Form: Upright, vase-shaped, clump-forming to colony-forming
Light: Part shade to full shade
Soil / Water: Rich, humusy, consistently moist to wet, well-drained soil; medium to high water
Bloom Time / Length: Non-flowering fern; ornamental fronds emerge in spring and remain attractive through the growing season
Wildlife: Provides cover in shaded plantings; not typically grown for pollinator value

Features & Landscape Uses: Excellent for woodland gardens, shaded borders, rain gardens, stream edges, pond margins, and naturalized plantings where its strong vertical texture can spread into drifts. It is especially effective in moist shade, but it can spread aggressively in ideal conditions.

Care: Plant in part shade to full shade in cool, moisture-retentive soil rich in organic matter. Do not let it dry out for long periods. Cut back old fronds in late winter or early spring before new fiddleheads emerge, and divide or thin colonies if they spread farther than wanted.

Trademark / Patent: No trademark or patent applies to th

Plant type

Fern

Height

2-3'

Width

3-6'

Hardiness zones

3–7

Sunlight

Full Shade, Partial Shade

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Green

Soil

Humus rich, Moist well-drained

Shape

Clumping, Upright, Vase Shaped

Deer resistant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No