# cinnamon fern (*Osmundastrum cinnamomeum*) The cinnamon fern is a beautiful plant with feathery leaves that can grow quite tall. It loves to live in shady, wet places and adds a lovely green touch to the forest floor. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 94 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![cinnamon fern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cinnamon_Fern_Osmunda_cinnamomea_Plant_2000px.JPG&width=800) Photo: Photo (c)2006 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cinnamon_Fern_Osmunda_cinnamomea_Plant_2000px.JPG) ## Appearance The cinnamon fern has large, vase-shaped clusters of bright green, sterile fronds that can grow over a meter tall. Distinctive fuzzy, cinnamon-brown fertile fronds emerge in spring, standing upright in the center before releasing spores and fading. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Polypodiopsida - **Order:** Osmundales - **Family:** Osmundaceae - **Genus:** Osmundastrum ## Interesting facts - It forms a giant green "vase" shape in the forest! - Its fuzzy brown fronds look like cinnamon sticks but are full of spores. - Native Americans traditionally harvested and ate its young shoots. - This ancient fern species has existed on Earth for millions of years! ## Special abilities - **Spore Shooters:** Cinnamon fern can reproduce by releasing tiny spores from its unique cinnamon-colored fronds, allowing new plants to sprout far away. - **Fuzzy Protection:** The fertile fronds of cinnamon fern are covered in woolly, cinnamon-colored hairs that help protect the developing spores inside. - **Edible Sprouts:** Cinnamon fern has young, coiled fronds called fiddleheads that can be safely eaten by humans as a tasty early spring vegetable. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-150 cm - **Spread:** 60-120 cm - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses young fiddleheads - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — nibbles on fronds - **Shelter:** [Spotted Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-salamander) (*Ambystoma maculatum*) — hides in damp leaf litter near it ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don’t touch wild plants, as some can be prickly or cause allergies. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify cinnamon fern? Compare frond shape, how the leaflets are arranged, the stalk, and any spore clusters you can see. A single detached leaflet often hides the plant's overall growth pattern. Fern Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is cinnamon fern? 60-150 cm ### How wide does cinnamon fern spread? 60-120 cm ### Is cinnamon fern edible? Yes ### Is cinnamon fern toxic? None ### What is cinnamon fern's lifecycle? Perennial ### Where is cinnamon fern usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Ashley River Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashley-river-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Bear Meadows Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bear-meadows-natural-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Brett Woods Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brett-woods-open-space) — Connecticut, US · Park - [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooklyn-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District [View all places to see cinnamon fern](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cinnamon-fern) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Cinnamon Fern: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cinnamon-fern)