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fern

Ostrich fern

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Matteuccia struthiopteris is a fast-growing fern for gardens in zones 3–7. It grows 3–5 ft tall and 2–3 ft wide, so plant it 2.5 ft apart. Give it part shade to shade and steady moisture, and it copes with wet soil. It is grown for its foliage rather than its flowers. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the grass role: a fern that adds fine, feathery texture in the middle of the bed, where a grass would go in a sunnier bed. It is native to the Northeast, the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and the Pacific Northwest. Deer usually leave it alone, and it is toxic to dogs and cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in the Southeast, Florida and the Gulf, Texas and the South-Central states, the Desert Southwest and California, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Plant type
Fern, herbaceous
Hardiness zones
3 to 7
Sun
Part shade (2–4 hours); Shade (under 2 hours)
Water
High; tolerates wet soil
Soil
Constantly moist, rich soil; fronds scorch in dry soil. Spreads by runners.
Mature size
3–5 ft tall × 2–3 ft wide
Spacing
2.5 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Fast
Bloom
Grown for foliage
Roles in a bed
Grass, Filler
Styles
natural, cottage, classic
Deer resistance
High: deer rarely eat it
Pets
Toxic to dogs and cats. ASPCA rating for ostrich fern not confirmed; raw fronds upset human stomachs. Marked toxic until reviewed.
Native to
Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest
Pot size and price
1-gallon pot, typically $12–$22 (sometimes stocked)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Keep the soil consistently moist the whole first year; water two or three times a week in summer heat. Mulch to hold moisture.
Pruning
Remove dead fronds in spring. Spreads by runners; pull unwanted crowns.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; state extension service fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings; state extension service; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States; state noxious weed and invasive plant lists; US garden-centre and home-improvement retail listings (general knowledge, 2026 estimate); USDA PLANTS database; state extension service native plant lists. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Ostrich fern, across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Substitutes our engine offers for Ostrich fern: same role in the bed, passing the same rules.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants