Ostrich fern vs Cinnamon fern
Both are tall native ferns for moist shade. Ostrich fern spreads by runners into big colonies, in the shape of shuttlecocks; the fiddleheads sold to eat in spring are its young fronds. Cinnamon fern stays as a clump, and sends up separate fertile fronds the colour of cinnamon sticks in spring.
 Ostrich fernMatteuccia struthiopteris |  Cinnamon fernOsmundastrum cinnamomeum | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 4 ft tall, 3 ft wide | 4 ft tall, 3 ft wide |
| Plant | 3 ft apart | 2½ ft apart |
| Zones | 3 to 7 | 3 to 9 |
| Light | Part shade to shade | Part sun to shade |
| Soil | Moist to wet, rich fertility | Moist to wet, rich fertility |
| Flowers | None | None |
| Leaves | Medium, herbaceous | Medium, herbaceous |
| Job in a bed | Specimen | Specimen |
| Pets | No toxicity recorded | No toxicity recorded |
| Deer | Resistant | Resistant |
| Native | Yes | No |
| Spread | High risk | Low risk |
Rows where they differ are marked. Flowering times are for zone 5.
Which to choose
- Choose ostrich fern for a native garden.
- Choose cinnamon fern for warmer gardens (to zone 9).
Can they grow together?
Yes: they grow in the same conditions. Beside ostrich fern, cinnamon fern is happy in the same wet soil. They share part shade and shade and zones 3 to 7.
Read more: all about ostrich fern, and all about cinnamon fern, each with a bed the planner designed around it.