# Ostrich Fern (*Matteuccia struthiopteris*) The Ostrich Fern has tall, feathery fronds that look like the feathers of an ostrich. It loves damp, shady spots and can grow in big groups, creating a lush green carpet in forests and wetlands. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 26 - **Habitat:** Forests, Wetlands - **Also known as:** Fiddlehead Fern, Struthiopteris Fern ![Ostrich Fern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Matteuccia_struthiopteris.jpg&width=800) Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Matteuccia_struthiopteris.jpg) ## Appearance The Ostrich Fern is a large, stately fern with two distinct types of fronds. Its tall, vase-shaped green sterile fronds are deeply cut, resembling ostrich plumes. Shorter, dark brown fertile fronds emerge later, holding the spores. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Polypodiopsida - **Order:** Polypodiales - **Family:** Onocleaceae - **Genus:** Matteuccia ## Interesting facts - Ostrich Ferns are ancient plants, thriving since the time of the dinosaurs! - The young, coiled fronds are called "fiddleheads" because they look like violin scrolls. - Their fertile fronds look like they're wearing tiny, spore-filled helmets all winter. - Unlike flowering plants, ferns reproduce using tiny, dust-like spores carried by the wind! ## Special abilities - **Spore Sprint:** Ostrich Fern releases tiny spores that can travel far on the wind to grow new ferns in distant places. - **Fiddlehead Feast:** Ostrich Fern grows edible young fronds (fiddleheads) in spring, providing a tasty early-season food. - **Rhizome Runner:** Ostrich Fern spreads underground using rhizomes, allowing it to form large colonies and claim more space. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-170 cm - **Spread:** 60-90 cm - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Fiddleheads are harvested as a seasonal delicacy. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Young fiddleheads are occasionally browsed. - **Eaten by:** [Moose](https://www.snappit.app/explore/moose) (*Alces alces*) — Mature fronds provide forage in some regions. - **Shelter:** Red-backed salamander (*Plethodon cinereus*) — Moist undergrowth offers refuge from predators. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Fronded](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fronded): Fronded plants possess large, divided leaves, characteristic of ferns and certain palms. - [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. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [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 - [Ferns](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/ferns) - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy looking at Ostrich Ferns but never eat any plants without an adult's permission. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ostrich 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 Ostrich Fern? 30-170 cm ### How wide does Ostrich Fern spread? 60-90 cm ### Is Ostrich Fern edible? Yes ### Is Ostrich Fern toxic? None ### What is Ostrich Fern's lifecycle? Perennial ### Where is Ostrich Fern usually found? Forests, Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Bartholomew's Cobble](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bartholomews-cobble) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Bristol Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bristol-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Enfield Shaker Museum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/enfield-shaker-museum) — New Hampshire, US · Museum - [Field Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/field-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Lock and Dam No. 12](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lock-and-dam-no-12) — Iowa, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Ostrich Fern](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ostrich-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: [Ostrich Fern: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ostrich-fern)