Quick Facts
Exposure: Sun or Shade
Height at Maturity: Over 3 Feet
Usage: Border Plants
Shipped As: Bare-root
Planting Zones: 3-8
Product Details
Our fiddlehead fern plants are ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, the fern whose tightly curled spring shoots are the fiddleheads people harvest and eat. We ship them bare-root in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for shade gardens, edible landscapes, market growers and wholesale buyers.
Fiddlehead Fern Size, Zones and Sun
A mature clump looks like a green vase, with arching fronds 3 to 5 feet high that spread 2 to 4 feet. It wants shade, part or full, though in a cool summer with steady moisture it takes more sun. Zones 3 to 8. In the wild it grows in heavy, wet soil, but lighter, richer ground suits it too.
Fiddlehead Fern Fronds and Spring Shoots
New fronds push up in spring as tight green coils, the fiddleheads, before opening into soft, bright green plumes with 30 to 50 pairs of leaflets. Shorter, lyre-shaped fertile fronds appear in summer and turn brown and woody. In fall the foliage goes copper and gold.
Eating Fiddlehead Ferns
Fiddleheads from ostrich fern can be cooked and eaten. Harvest them young and cook them well. Take only a few shoots from each crown, so the plant keeps its strength. Our ostrich fern FAQs answer common questions on care and harvest.
Where to Plant Fiddlehead Fern
Shady borders, woodland edges, moist hollows, north walls and rain garden fringes all suit it. Underground runners form a colony over time, so plant 2 to 3 feet apart and let it fill. For companion ferns, see our ferns for cool, shaded summer borders.
Planting Fiddlehead Fern Bare-root
Soak the roots, then plant with the crown at the soil surface. Water well and keep the ground evenly moist through the first season. A layer of mulch helps hold in moisture.
Buying Fiddlehead Fern in Bulk
A pack of 100 at 2-foot spacing fills about 400 square feet, and runners close the gaps in a couple of seasons. Growers aiming at harvest often start with 100 or 500 and divide crowns in spring to expand.
Good to Know About Fiddlehead Fern
Ostrich fern spreads by runners and can become weedy, so give it room. Only ostrich fern fiddleheads should be eaten. Bracken fern shoots look similar but are poisonous, so be sure of the plant before you pick. Deer usually leave ostrich fern alone.
Growing Fiddlehead Fern for Harvest
Give the clump a couple of seasons to build strength before you pick. Harvest the shoots when they are tightly coiled and only a few inches tall, and leave plenty on each crown. Mulching with shredded leaves feeds the plants and holds moisture. Divide crowns in spring every few years to expand the bed or share plants with neighbors.
Fiddlehead Fern Sizes, Packs and Shipping
Fiddlehead fern plants ship bare-root in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more wholesale ferns.