Ostrich fern

Ostrich fern: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Regular shuttlecock of fronds, up to 1.2 m tall and about 1 m wide. Forms new shuttlecocks with runners.

Fronds

Pale green, feather-like and finely cut, tapering towards the base. They die back in autumn.

Fertile fronds

Short, stiff, dark brown fronds of 30–60 cm in the centre of the shuttlecock, from late summer; they stand all winter.

Young croziers

In April dense green croziers appear and unfurl quickly.

Runners

Long underground runners, on which new plants appear some distance away.

Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March

Why grow it?

• One of the most elegant ferns: perfect, pale green shuttlecocks.
• The unfurling of the croziers in April is a spectacular spring moment.
• The brown fertile fronds stand all winter and look good in dried arrangements.
• Forms a group by itself with runners: ideal for filling a damp, shady corner.
• Very hardy and rarely ill.

Ostrich fern: where does it grow best?

• Partial or full shade; in sun the fronds scorch quickly.
• Sand, loam, clay or peat, acid to neutral and rich in humus.
• Moist to wet soil: it must never dry out. Ideal at a pond edge or along a stream.
• Sheltered from strong wind, which snaps the large fronds.
• Allow 80 cm–1 m between plants and give it room to spread.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam, clay or peat

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

1.2 m tall, 1 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Marsh marigold: Yellow flowers in spring at the pond edge, before the fern starts growing.
• Astilbe: Pink, red and white plumes on the same moist soil.
• Hosta: Large leaves next to the airy shuttlecocks.
• Siberian bugloss: Sky-blue flowers in April between the young croziers.
• Wood anemone: White spring flowers beneath the fern, before it unfurls its fronds.

Ostrich fern: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant from March to May or in September–October, when the soil is not frozen.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot and mix in plenty of leaf mould.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot: the crown must stay just above the soil.
4. Keep 80 cm–1 m from other plants and expect it to spread.
5. Water generously straight away and keep the soil moist throughout the first year.
6. Mulch with leaf mould to keep the soil cool and moist.

Care

Watering

Keep the soil moist at all times; water regularly in dry summers, or the fronds turn brown.

Feeding

A layer of leaf mould or well-rotted compost in spring is enough.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould every spring keeps the soil cool and moist.

Runners

Cut off unwanted runners with a spade and replant them elsewhere or give them away.

Old fronds

The green fronds die back in autumn; clear them away in March.

Tip: Give it a spot where the soil never dries out, such as a pond edge: the fronds then stay fresh until autumn. Leave the brown fertile fronds standing in winter; they are very decorative.

Ostrich fern: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March.

When: In March, before the new croziers unfurl. You can leave the brown fertile fronds all winter as decoration.

How:

• Cut the dead green fronds and the old fertile fronds off at the base.
• Watch out for the croziers already waiting in the crown: do not cut into them.
• In autumn, feel free to cut a few fertile fronds for a dried arrangement.
• Cut off runners that stray too far straight away.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Runners

In March–April or in September: detach a young plant with roots from the runner and replant it elsewhere at once. The easiest method.

Spores

In late winter collect spores from the brown fertile fronds and sow them straight away on moist, sterile compost under glass or plastic. Keep everything moist; it takes months before tiny ferns appear.

Ostrich fern: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −35 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The green fronds die back in autumn; the brown fertile fronds stay standing and are a lovely winter feature.
• In a pot: stand the pot in a sheltered spot and keep the compost slightly moist.

Diseases and pests

• Brown fronds in summer: A sign of drought or too much sun. Water generously, mulch and move it to a shadier spot if needed.
• Runners in the wrong place: New plants sometimes appear some way from the parent. Cut them off or, in a small garden, install a root barrier.
• Late frost damage: Frozen croziers turn brown. The plant regrows; cut off the damaged fronds.
• Poor growth: On dry or poor soil it stays small. Mix compost into the soil and keep it moist.

Through the year

• January: Rest. Leave the fertile fronds.
• February: Rest. The fertile fronds decorate the garden.
• March: Cut off old fronds and fertile fronds. Plant or move runners.
• April: The croziers unfurl. Mulch with leaf mould.
• May: Plant. Water in dry spells.
• June: Keep the soil moist.
• July: Water in dry spells. Cut off runners.
• August: The fertile fronds appear in the centre.
• September: Plant or move runners.
• October: The green fronds die back. Cut fertile fronds for a dried arrangement.
• November: Leave the fertile fronds standing.

Did you know?

• Struthiopteris comes from the Greek strouthion, ostrich, and pteris, fern: the fronds look like ostrich feathers.
• The genus name honours the Italian physicist Carlo Matteucci, who lived in the 19th century.
• Ostrich fern has two kinds of fronds: large green fronds that make food for the plant, and separate brown fronds that only carry spores.