Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is a species native to North America, notable for its tall, tapered fronds that resemble ostrich plumes.

Ostrich Fern is the only species in the genus Matteuccia, but it can look similar to several of its “cousins” to the untrained eye. Since Ostrich Fern fiddleheads are edible, it is crucial to verify which fern species you have before eating them. Fiddleheads are sautéed or in dishes that might otherwise feature asparagus or broccoli.

Fiddleheads are only good to eat when they’ve just emerged from the ground and not yet unfurled. As a result, they are only available for a short time each year. This short period of availability, along with their unique appearance, makes Ostrich Fern fiddleheads a prized ingredient for foodies and chefs. Ostrich Fern fiddleheads are a prized ingredient for foodies and chefs. Whether you plan to eat your Ostrich Fern or not, once you know what you are looking for, it is not too difficult to differentiate it from other types of ferns.

Distinguishing features of Ostrich Fern:

• Matteuccia struthiopteris grows in vase-shaped clumps, with around 6-8 fronds. You will often find multiple clumps growing next to each other, forming a beautiful area of greenery.
• Check the stems – Ostrich Fern stems are smooth, without the fuzzy or hairy texture found on some other ferns.
• The light green fronds have a graceful appearance. Each frond tapers at both the top and bottom, similar to the shape of a feather.
• Ostrich Fern stems have an unmistakable groove down the middle of their stem, on the side that faces the plant’s interior.
• Newly emerged fiddleheads are covered in a papery, brown sheath that is easily rubbed away.
• Ostrich Ferns have two types of fronds, which appear at different times of the year. The larger fronds most commonly associated with this plant appear in the spring. These are the sterile fronds. Exteriorly located on these plants is where you will find this distinguishing feature. Meanwhile, smaller, upright, spore-bearing fronds emerge in the center of this plant in autumn; fertile fronds are not edible.

Commonly Mistaken With:

Matteuccia struthiopteris resembles a few other ferns. Most commonly, it’s confused with the Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomea) and Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana or Claytosmunda claytoniana). These two species are similar in size and structure to the Ostrich Fern. But their differences are determined by the fronds’ shape, which tapers down to tiny leaflets practically to the ground. If you are trying to identify the fern species based on the fiddlehead, the papery sheath on the Ostrich Fern is a clear way to differentiate it from similar species. Cinnamon Fern also has a sheath, but it is much more persistent and has a wooly texture compared to Ostrich Fern’s papery one.

Now you are familiar with various Ostrich Ferns’ distinguishing features. Hence, it will be easy to identify them using one or more of those traits. You can put this knowledge into practice while planning your landscape or foraging edible plants.