Buy Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King'

Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is a native species across Canada made famous by New Brunswickers who collect the young emerging fiddleheads in early spring as a culinary delicacy. Boil or sautee and apply a healthy amount of butter (but don't eat them raw). 'The King' is a cultivar that boasts a very tall 4-7 foot stance and a spread of 3 to 5 feet wide. A stately, ornamental fern with carefully positioned fronds forming an elegant upward-facing cone. Very cold hardy for most parts of Canada. Ostrich fern will eventually spread by underground rhizomes to form lush colonies. Requires evenly moist but not soggy soil. Spectacular in a woodland setting, by ponds, in the shady border and bed, mass planting and as a specimen. Deer and rabbit resistant. Often listed as hardy to zone 3 but likely hardy to zone 1 like the species.

The giant plumy fronds of this amazing fern conjure up visions of 'Jurassic Park'! This incredibly lush verdant-green fern can reach up to 7 feet tall, adding both beauty and depth to a shady landscape. It makes an incredible centerpiece in your shade garden, or they can be massed for a prehistoric look. They also make a fine backdrop for smaller shade-lovers. If you can bear to snap the fiddleheads off in early spring when they are still tightly coiled, they are considered a delicacy when lightly stir-fried in olive oil. Sh-PSh/M

Are you looking for a stellar performer for your shade garden? Ostrich Fern 'The King' has a gigantic crown and fertile fronds up to 7' tall that are 50% larger than the native Ostrich Fern. It adds a dynamic presence to your shade garden and may be planted with colorful Regal Red Japanese Painted Ferns at its base. Its height and size make it a focal point in any garden. Grow this easy-care plant in fertile moist soil. Ostrich ferns can be harvested as fiddleheads in the early spring. This extremely hardy cultivar grows in zones 3-8.

A selection of Ostrich Fern.

A newer selection noted for its taller growing fronds than the species. Forms colonies by way of vigorous rhizomes. The young fronds (fiddleheads) are edible in moderation.

Deciduous. 4' wide and 5' high. This extremely hardy selection has a huge crown and fronds that are 50% larger than the native Ostrich fern. Will give that large, prehistoric, tropical look in the landscape. This cultivar is easy to grow, notably more heat tolerant.

Large 3 foot tall fluffy shuttlecock-shaped crowns add a lush, verdant appearance to woodland borders. Spreads to form colonies.