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Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia)

Perennial

23 total reviews

  • Graceful upright fronds resemble ostrich feathers!
  • Charming fiddleheads unfurl in spring.
  • Native perennial grows vigorously, quickly filling your garden.
  • Cold tolerant and resistant to deer and rabbits.
  • Zones 3-7, part sun/shade, 6' tall x 4' wide at maturity.
  • ZONE
  • EXPOSURE
  • HEIGHT
Size: One Quart
Regular price $26.00
Sale price Sale: $26.00 Regular price Each
Total: $26.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee

Description

The leaves of Ostrich Fern, or Matteuccia struthiopteris, resemble ostrich plumes with feathery, arching fronds! Charming fiddleheads emerge in the spring and unfurl as summer approaches. We love how it forms vase-like crowns, adding elegant shape and texture to the garden. This fern is an exceptional shade ground cover for woodland gardens, wild areas, or wet soils near ponds and streams. When given room to roam, it quickly spreads by underground rhizomes. It's low maintenance, cold and heat tolerant, and unbothered by deer and pests, making it a worry-free garden addition!

Details

Botanical name: Matteuccia struthiopteris
Common name: Ostrich fern
Zone: 3 - 7
Sun exposure: Shade (< 4 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 3-6' tall x 3-4' wide
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Spring through fall
Bloom time: non-flowering
Features: Wet soils, rain gardens, rabbit resistant, native heat tolerant, deer resistant, rabbit resistant, cold tolerant, best sellers
Uses: Accent, border, container gardening, foundation planting, massing, specimen, woodland

How to Grow

Soil: Easily grown in organically rich, medium moisture, well-draining soil.
Light: Shade (< 4 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Water: Thrives with consistent moisture.
Spacing: 4 ft apart
Fertilizing: Generally unnecessary, but an application of compost in spring can be beneficial. Inorganic fertilizers may burn roots.
Winterizing: Trim leaves to the ground in late fall or early spring.
Maintenance & pruning: Spores are infertile. Can divide in spring every 3- 4 years.

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Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:

bush distance

Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:

bush distance zigzag

Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.

Plant Spacing Calculator

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  • 5 stars: 18 (78%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (4%)
  • 3 stars: 1 (4%)
  • 2 stars: 1 (4%)
  • 1 star: 2 (9%)
J
J.W.

Plants arrived in great condition! They look very healthy.

M
M.M. (Michigan)
Ostrich Ferns

Came in good condition. Planted in not an ideal location. Trying to get to survive with extra watering. Sunny couple hours a day. So far, so good.

C
C.E. (South Carolina)
Ostrich Fern

Strong healthy plant

C
C.T.

Beautiful ostrich fern very pleased.

M
M.A. (Utah)
Ostrich Fern

Received very small, broken, sick plant. I tried to save it, but it wasn't strong enough to survive. I thought maybe it pop back up in the Spring, but was unsuccessful.

Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

M
M.M. (Pennsylvania)

I'm pleased with ostrich ferns & want to order more.

K
K.D. (New Jersey)
Ostrich plants

I bought 3, for around $50 dollars..there were hardly any roots, one is already dying, they were VERy small…..I am disappointed in your product.

We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary. We look forward to helping!

N
N.L. (Missouri)
Awesome Ostrich Ferns

Ordering was easy. Arrived in great shape. Packaging was really well done. They are in the ground and doing very well.

J
J.H. (Delaware)
Disappointed

I have been wanting these for several years. They were always sold out. I was finally able to order this year. I ordered two and received one. Frustrating but GGP did make it right. The original plant was happy and healthy and is thriving. When I did receive the second plant it was not even close to how the original was. It was scrawny and sickly looking. Despite all my best efforts at TLC, it is not going to survive. Imagine my disappointment after waiting years for these plants.

Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

P
P.F. (California)
Beautiful Ferns

My ferns arrived quickly and in excellent condition.Everything I have received from your company has been great!

F
F.C. (Colorado)
Ferns

the ferns we ordered were in great shape when they arrived, impressed with the packing. they are doing great. thank you

J
J.M. (Massachusetts)
Perfect

Had an area to naturalize with ferns. Plants arrived well packaged and in good condition. Have been in the ground about 4 weeks, adapted well and look great! Will definitely order again in the future.

T
T.G. (New York)
First time customer - TOTAL SATISFACTION!

I've been burned so many times in the past ordering plants online. About the only time I do it is with Proven Winners which has been consistently reliable but pretty expensive. That said, I tried to order Ostrich Ferns directly from their website but was forced to seek a local garden supply company. Phone call after phone call ... no luck. I did a google search and up came "Great Garden Plants". I was surprised they had them in stock and offered a "bulk" discount for what were already very competitive prices. I took a chance. Short story, perfection. Plants arrived in mint condition ready to grow. I was so pleased that I placed another even larger order. Again, when the plants arrived they were in "Proven Winners" quart cups and in exceptional condition even considering the extreme heat we had that week. For now, I'm sold. Great to find a top-tier supplier. Keep up the great work!

B
B.D. (Arkansas)
Looking Good

All my plants ordered this year are doing wonderfully well. We

A
A. (District of Columbia)

Love these ostrich ferns! So pretty, very adaptable, look great in my shady garden.

E
E.B. (Connecticut)

Ostrich Fern

M
M.C. (Pennsylvania)
I think its dying

First time with GGP... not sure what I think. Another thing I got is doing well ... the jury is out...

J
J.C. (North Carolina)
The ostriches are loving it here in zone 8 SE NC.

These plants arrived healthy and happy, well protected in shipping. So far they are liking their new home.

P
P.J. (Ohio)
Ostrich Ferns

Thank you for you quick response

E
E. (Illinois)
Healthy Little Ferns!

The ostrich ferns arrived extremely well packaged and vibrant green. They are thriving in the new garden.

C
C.W. (Massachusetts)

When the fern arrived almost all its leaves had dried out. I cut them down and new leaves started appearing within a week. The fern is now planted in a large planter in a shaded part of my garden and already has 7 or 8 feet long leaves. It appears to be doing great.

M
M.S. (South Carolina)
Very healthy and well packaged for delivery

I have terrible luck as a gardener, and also what does grow is generally eaten by deer. So, I trusted the information and instructions on planting and deer resistance. I placed a large order and every one of my plants have done very well. I ordered a variety of ferns, planted as advised, and all my ferns are growing lushly. I'm super happy with everything I ordered. Nothing has died and nothing has been nibbled by deer.

A
A.M. (Connecticut)
Great fern

I was rather impressed with my fern when it arrived it was much bigger than I had expected. Once planted it was growing quite well however; the horrible squirrels in my yard keeps trampling it. I'm hoping it will survive and put out strong roots during the winter months.

j
j.

can these plants grow around and close to pine trees

Great Garden Plants

Ostrich Ferns grow well under or close to pine trees due to the shade trees typically provide!

G
G.

Are these actually Matteuccia struthiopteris? I plan to establish a crop and eat them. I've seen many places call brackens ferns ostrich ferns and don't want to waste my time ordering if they aren't in fact definitely Matteuccia struthiopteris.

Great Garden Plants

Hello! Yes, the botanical name for this Ostrich Fern is Matteuccia struthiopteris.

M
M.

How big in diameter (inches) is the 1 quart pot the Ostrich fern comes shipped in?

Great Garden Plants

Hello! The one quart size is a 4x4 inch pot.

D
D.Z.

When can Ostrich Ferns be planted in zone 6 WV

Great Garden Plants

Hello! You can plant in spring as soon as the threat of frost has passed in your area.

C
C.

If I order today, when do you send them?

Great Garden Plants

We begin shipping plants at proper planting time in your area, which is determined by your USDA Hardiness Zone. Here is our shipping schedule for 2024:
Zone 2024 Shipping Schedule
3 May 6 – Oct 18
4 Apr 22 – Oct 18
5 Apr 8 – Oct18
6 Apr 1 – Oct 18
7 March 11 – Nov 8
8-10 March 11 – Nov 8