$16.99
The jumbo Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) ? ?The King? – is a huge spreader ready to fill your vacant meadow! It is native to much of northern North America, and with its cold tolerance it leads off the spring with magnificent fist-sized green fiddleheads. When well-watered, the height of this fern can approach seven feet. (No head in the ground for this bird!) Autumn turns the deciduous sterile fronds a glowing golden yellow while the separate fertile fronds fade from green to brown and remain erect throughout the winter. Underground runners ?run? out forming surrounding colonies making this very useful for a quick cover. And if you don?t like it you can always eat it as these are the fiddleheads of gourmet restaurants: in fact, it?s the state vegetable of Vermont! The fern normally prefers northern climates, but this selection will do well in the southeast as well. Zones 2 and higher.
Easily grown in average, medium to wet soils in part shade to full shade. Best in rich soils with constant moisture. Soil must never be allowed to dry out. Spreads by underground rhizomes to form dense colonies in optimum growing conditions.
| Common Name | 'The King' Ostrich, Fern |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King' |
| Container/Amount | 1 gallon |
| Evergreen or Deciduous | Deciduous |
| Hardiness Zone | 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b |
| Growth Rate | Average |
| Light Requirements | Part-shade, Shade |
| Height | to 7 ft. |
| Width | 5 ft. |
| Soil Condition | Well-drained |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Fragrance | No |
| Foliage Color | green |
| Deer Resistant | Yes |
