PlantsVegetables & Roots
Ostrich Fern
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Chicago-region native. Suited to zone 6a.
Edible spring fiddleheads and tall fern
ModerateVegetables & RootsAlso Shade & GroundcoversAlso Rain GardenAlso SpecialtyEdibleRain garden
- Light
- Part shade–shade
- Moisture
- Moist
- Mature size
- 2–4 ft
- Spacing
- 2–3 ft
- Bloom or harvest
- Fiddleheads Apr–May
- How it spreads
- Strong rhizomes
- What to buy
- Nursery-grown crowns or divisions
- When to plant
- Apr–May or Sep
In the design
Harvest only a small portion from established crowns.
If you eat it
Only tightly coiled ostrich-fern fiddleheads
Correct identification is essential; boil 15 minutes or steam 10–12 minutes before eating
Only eat what you planted and can name. This is not a foraging or medical guide.
Plants that share this spot
More in this group
Reference details
- Conservatism value
- 10
- Wetland indicator
- FACW