ABOUT THIS FERN
King Ostrich Fern (matteuccia struthiopteris) – EDIBLE, The Ostrich Fern is native to much of northern North America, and with its cold tolerance, it leads off the spring with magnificent fist-sized gourmet, edible fiddleheads, the state vegetable of Vermont. When well-watered, the height of this fern can approach a massive seven feet. Autumn turns the deciduous sterile fronds a glowing golden yellow while remaining erect throughout the winter. Underground runners “run” out forming surrounding colonies making this very useful for a quick cover. These are very healthy plants with well established root system.
Easy to grow ferns are one of natures most versatile, lush foliage plants. The growth rate and leaf color of King Ostrich Edible Fern will vary greatly depending on soil type, sunlight, temperature and other factors. A few leaves are often trimmed prior to shipping to reduce transpiration and travel stress.
Easy to grow ferns are one of natures most versatile, lush foliage plants. The growth rate and leaf color of King Ostrich Edible Fern will vary greatly depending on soil type, sunlight, temperature and other factors. A few leaves are often trimmed prior to shipping to reduce transpiration and travel stress.
QUICK SPECS
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SOIL TYPE
Rich Moist
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% SUN
70-85%
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POT SIZE
2x2x7″ Deep
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INCLUDES
One Plant
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FERN PLANT CARE
King Ostrich Edible Ferns are very easy to grow ferns that require little care indoors or out, producing more vibrant frond color when grown in light shade. King Ostrich Edible Ferns can be grown as house plants, table plants or outdoors in mild climates. They thrive in moist soils with high organic matter and grow best when provided with filtered sunlight. Indoors plants thrive at temperatures between 55°- 80°F and in lower light conditions than other house plants. In the ground King Ostrich Edible Ferns get larger and are often more colorful than in their potted juvenile state. They add a wonderful accent to any well-lit space or cascading from your favorite planter.
When you receive your new fern, there is no need to worry about planting right away. Your new plant can be stored for a while by simply placing it in a tray or bucket with about a half inch of water in the bottom and moving it to a shady location. You can then add some mulch to keep your plant standing upright. The mulch will also supply nutrients while in storage. This will give you plenty of time to select the ideal location for your new fern plant.
When you receive your new fern, there is no need to worry about planting right away. Your new plant can be stored for a while by simply placing it in a tray or bucket with about a half inch of water in the bottom and moving it to a shady location. You can then add some mulch to keep your plant standing upright. The mulch will also supply nutrients while in storage. This will give you plenty of time to select the ideal location for your new fern plant.
CONTAINER SIZE
All fern varieties grow very well in containers, indoors or on the patio. Allow enough room for growth generally a 6″ to a 12″ diameter, 6″ deep container will suffice to get started. Remember the looser the roots, the taller and healthier your plant will be. When the plant becomes root bound its growth will slow, at that point it is time for a larger pot.
SOIL
King Ostrich Edible Ferns enjoy humusy, organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil mix. Remember try to stay away from wet, mucky or dry, sandy soils.
FERTILIZER
To help establish your new King Ostrich Edible Fern, fertilize sparingly at least 6 inches away from the base, tri-annually with a slow time released product. Unfertilized they will tend to grow very slowly. Note: The heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers will damage the roots and possibly kill the plant.
GROW ZONE & LIGHT
Best outdoors if grown in zone 2b-9, find your zone here. This King Ostrich Edible Fern requires 70-85% sunlight. Depending on your location filtered sun is best. In the northern end of their grow zone King Ostrich Edible Fern plants should be brought indoors or protected during the winter months. The patio zone is 4b-9 which means the potted plant will flourish over the summer months in colder zones but must be brought inside before a hard freeze.
BEFORE YOU PLANT OUTDOORS
At the nursery these King Ostrich Edible Fern plants are grown under 20-40% shade cloth. If you plant this fern in a brightly lit area you may experience leaf burn. It is best to acclimate this plant to its environment by keeping it outside and slowly moving it into a sunny area over a week or two to avoid stress before planting.
WHAT IS THE SHIPPING SIZE
All King Ostrich Edible Ferns for sale will vary in size. In the spring, plants are often smaller than plants shipped in the fall. Plants designated with a sku ending in -4, -6 or -8 will arrive in a standard 4 inch, 6 inch or 8 inch round growers pot respectively. Our new, reusable, recyclable deep plugs are 7 or 9 inches deep and 2 or 2.5 inches in width. Products growing in these pots are easy to transplant and allow for deeper roots and faster growth, they are designated with a sku ending in -7 or -9. (Note: The item sku number can be found just below the buy button.) The color and style of these pots may vary. If we are out of a particular size item, we may ship a larger size at no additional charge. For more information, click the “best packaging” link at the bottom of this page.
Note:
Before leaving, fern plants are inspected, watered, and pruned. Larger plants, generally those that ship in 8″ pots, will be topped to 36″ or 48″ overall, depending on the variety, if necessary to facilitate shipping. Your new plants’ pot is then bagged to ensure that the soil stays in the pot and not loose in the box. Plants are tissue or kraft paper wrapped and secured in place with natural biodegradable peanuts.
You may want to order your King Ostrich Fern (matteuccia struthiopteris) online now while they are in stock, supplies are limited.
Zone.2b Zone.3a Zone.3b Zone.4a Zone.4b Zone.5a Zone.5b Zone.6a Zone.6b Zone.7a Zone.7b Zone.8a Zone.8b Zone.9a Zone.9b