• Photo of Onoclea struthiopteris (Onoclea struthiopteriss)

Plant Profile: Onoclea struthiopteris

Taxonomy: Onoclea struthiopteris

Names

Ostrich Fern

  • Photo of Onoclea struthiopteris (Onoclea struthiopteriss)

Phonetic Spelling:on-oh-KLEE-uh struth-ee-op-TER-iss

Genus:Onoclea

Species:struthiopteris

Family:Aspleniaceae

This fern is simple to cultivate, characterized by its upright crown and robust, vertical rhizome that produces delicate underground runners, leading to the development of new plants. It typically thrives in dense, moist soil but can adapt to lighter, nutrient-rich environments, provided it receives consistent moisture. While it prefers partial to full shade, it can also withstand sunny conditions if temperatures remain cool and moisture levels are sufficient. The fiddleheads of this fern are edible.

Onoclea struthiopteris Feature Summary

Onoclea struthiopteris Image Gallery

Tags

#deciduous
#shade tolerant
#showy leaves
#fern
#aggressive
#deer resistant
#native garden
#groundcover
#woodlands

Similar Plants

Onoclea struthiopteris is often confused with:

Onoclea struthiopteris Feature Summary

Attributes
Fruit
No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
Flowers
Leaves
Vase-shaped clump of arching, oblong, lance shaped fronds; vegetative fronds are plumelike, broadest above the middle and tapering to the base; 30-50 pairs of pinnatifid pinnae; tip of frond is abruptly constricted; 6-12 in. lyre-shaped fertile fronds produced in summer, become brown and woody; short stipe is slightly covered with whitish hairs
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Other/more complex
> 6 inches
Showy
Long-lasting
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Wet
3 feet-6 feet
12-24 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Cottage Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Shade Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Accent
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Near Septic

Onoclea struthiopteris Attributes

Onoclea struthiopteris: Country Or Region Of Origin

Temp. Eurasia

Onoclea struthiopteris: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Heavy shade, Deer

Onoclea struthiopteris: Edibility

Fiddleheads can be cooked and consumed

Onoclea struthiopteris: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Onoclea struthiopteris: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Onoclea struthiopteris Fruit

Onoclea struthiopteris: Fruit Description

No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.

Onoclea struthiopteris Flowers

Onoclea struthiopteris: Flower Description

No flowers.

Onoclea struthiopteris Leaves

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Description

Vase-shaped clump of arching, oblong, lance shaped fronds; vegetative fronds are plumelike, broadest above the middle and tapering to the base; 30-50 pairs of pinnatifid pinnae; tip of frond is abruptly constricted; 6-12 in. lyre-shaped fertile fronds produced in summer, become brown and woody; short stipe is slightly covered with whitish hairs

Onoclea struthiopteris: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Onoclea struthiopteris: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Brown/Copper
spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Orange

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Onoclea struthiopteris: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Onoclea struthiopteris: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Onoclea struthiopteris Whole Plant Traits

Onoclea struthiopteris: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Onoclea struthiopteris: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Onoclea struthiopteris: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Onoclea struthiopteris: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Onoclea struthiopteris: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Onoclea struthiopteris: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Onoclea struthiopteris Cultural Conditions

Onoclea struthiopteris: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Onoclea struthiopteris: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Onoclea struthiopteris: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Onoclea struthiopteris: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Onoclea struthiopteris: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Onoclea struthiopteris: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Onoclea struthiopteris Stem

Onoclea struthiopteris: Stem Color

grass
Green

Onoclea struthiopteris: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Onoclea struthiopteris Landscape

Onoclea struthiopteris: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Onoclea struthiopteris: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Onoclea struthiopteris: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Onoclea struthiopteris: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland