Osmunda cinnamomea (Cinnamon Fern)

Plant Name:  Osmunda cinnamomea
Common name: Cinnamon Fern
Plant Type:  Perennial Herbaceous Fern
Plant Height: 2’ – 3’
Spread: 2’ – 3’
Bloom Time: May – June
Flower Color:  Cinnamon-Colored Sporangia; Cinnamon Fronds occur in groups; Fertile Fronds appear first as Silvery Fiddleheads which turn Upper Portion from Green to Chocolate Brown; Sterile Fronds bend outwards enclosing Cinnamon Fronds.
Exposure:  Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade to Full Shade
Soil Requirements: Tolerates Various Calcareous/Acidic Soils.
Water Needs: Medium High
Attributes: Attracts Birds looking for nesting material of Fiddleheads; Contrasting Fertile & Infertile Fronds Make Dramatic Accent.; Deer Resistant.
Note: Can grow in Full Sun if Constantly Standing in Water.
Uses: Bogs, Ponds, Water Gardens; Shaded Borders
Native to:  Eastern North America
Oregon Native:  NO
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 10

Report by: Viki Ashford, AGC Member & Master Gardener

 Photo by David J. Stang – source: David Stang. First published at ZipcodeZoo.com, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61095231