Ostrich fern
(Matteuccia struthiopteris)
From June to early fall, the northern edge of VanDusen’s Eastern North America woodland is dominated by a swathe of bright green, ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). This deciduous fern is native to temperate regions across the Northern Hemisphere, reaching up to 6 feet tall in cool moist climates, like here on BC’s coast. In mid-spring, sterile fronds emerge as tightly curled, edible fiddleheads, which can be boiled or steamed. As they unfurl, they grow into a crown formation, like a vase or shuttlecock, which surrounds the inconspicuous, dark brown, fertile fronds in the centre. Ostrich fern reproduces by spores or by sending out stolons that creep horizontally to form new crowns, eventually forming dense colonies. In the wild, this species is often found growing along the banks of shady streams and river banks.
Ostrich ferns