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The King Ostrich Fern (aka Fiddlehead Fern) (1 Gallon)
The King Ostrich Fern (aka Fiddlehead Fern) (1 Gallon)
$18.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Quantity
16 in stock
Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King'
Choose The King Ostrich Fern when you need a shaded area to fill quickly with a native, upright fern. The tradeoff is control: it spreads by runners, so don't use it where you need a tidy, fixed clump.
Buy This If
- You want fast shade coverage
- You like a native fern look
- You have room for spreading
Skip This If
- You need a small clump
- You dislike plants that wander
- The site bakes in afternoon sun
PGNE Report Card
| Category | Grade | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape Impact | A- | It gives shaded beds a tall, full fern mass without relying on flowers. |
| Growth Rate | A | It fills ground quickly, which is useful in open shade and risky in tight beds. |
| Maintenance | B- | Care is simple, but you may need to pull or edge runners. |
| Deer Resistance | A- | Deer rarely browse ferns, making this one of the more dependable choices where deer pressure is heavy. |
| Small Space Fit | D | Its spreading habit makes it a poor fit for small, mixed beds. |
| Screening Value | C | It can soften low views during the growing season, but it is not a permanent screen. |
Our Experience
At PGNE, we'd typically recommend this where the goal is to let a shaded bed naturalize, not where every plant needs to stay in its assigned spot. The running habit that makes it wrong for a tight bed is exactly what makes it right for holding a shaded streambank.
Plant Facts
| Botanical Name | Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King' |
|---|---|
| Common Name | The King Ostrich Fern (Fiddlehead Fern) |
| Mature Height | 4-6 ft |
| Mature Width | 2.5-3 ft |
| Hardiness Zones | 3a-7b |
| Spacing | 2.5-3 ft |
| Sun | Part Shade to Shade |
| Moisture | Average to moist |
| Growth Habit | Upright, vase-shaped, clumping, spreading by rhizomes |
| Evergreen | No |
| Native | Yes (species native to New England/eastern US) |
| Best Used For | Riparian buffer and floodplain plantings • Erosion control on shaded banks • Rain gardens • Fast native woodland fill |
| Wetland Indicator Status | FAC (Facultative) — occurs in both wetlands and uplands. Source: USDA/USACE National Wetland Plant List, Northcentral & Northeast region. |
Customers Usually Ask
Will it spread?
Yes. That is the main reason to buy it and the main reason to avoid it in tight beds.
Can I use this for streambank or buffer work?
Yes, and it is one of our better choices for it. Its rhizomes knit shaded soil together, and it carries a FAC rating on the USDA/USACE National Wetland Plant List, so it handles the wet-to-average swing a buffer planting sees.
Are the fiddleheads edible?
Ostrich fern is associated with edible fiddleheads, but nursery plants are sold for landscape use, not food production.
Does it handle deer?
It has good deer resistance, though no plant should be treated as immune.
Why buy for fall color
- See the actual color before you buy it
- Foliage, berries and late bloom — all three seasons of interest
- Fall planting means roots established before winter
Pro Growers of New England, Inc
SKU:PGNE-43010
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