Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomea)

2 to 5’, symmetric clump. Connecticut's largest fern, found in wet woods, bogs, along streams and on shaded ledges and bluffs.

“Fiddleheads" emerge from base in spring and unfurl into large, arching, deep green bi-pinnate fronds which remain attractive through summer, and turn yellows/oranges/brown in autumn. Separate 2-3’ fertile center fronds are cinnamon-colored. Identifying feature: turn over the leaf and see if there is a tuft of hair at the junction of the main stem and leaflet (Photo 5).

Part to full shade. Sun if ample moisture. Medium to wet soils. Prefers moist, rich, humusy, acidic soils, but adapts to lesser conditions. Extremely long-lived. Colonizes after about a decade.

Excellent for deep shade, and wet areas along ponds, streams, water gardens, or in bogs. Grows well in shade borders, woods, wild plant gardens. Fiddleheads are edible.

Provides cover for birds, amphibians.

Photo 1: MO Botanical Garden PlantFinder missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/ FullImageDisplay.aspx?documentid=5294 Photo 2: Physics major commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Cinnamon_fern.jpg Photo 3: N. Central Conservation District Photos 4, 5: John Pickering, Discover Life discoverlife.org/20/ q?search=Osmunda+cinnamomea Photos 6, 9: Minnesota Wildflowers minnesotawildflowers.info/fern/cinna- mon-fern; Peter M. Dziuk, K. Chayka Photo 7: Tim Kessinich, Flora of Wisconsin wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu/taxa/ index.php?taxon=4382&taxauthid=1 Photo 8: Mount Cuba Center mtcubacenter.org/plants/cinnamon-fern/ Photo 10: Nicholas A. Tonelli flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/9991414005/ sizes/l