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Cinnamon Fern Wikimedia Commons
Osmundaceae

Cinnamon Fern

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

Ancient resilience.

Family
Osmundaceae
Genus
Osmundastrum
Native to
Eastern North America, Eastern Asia, South America
Bloom season
Spring
Type
perennial
Height
3-5 ft
Sunlight
part shade to full shade
Soil
acidic, moist, boggy
Water
high
Hardiness
3-10
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Cinnamon fern does not produce true flowers but instead has cinnamon-colored fertile fronds that resemble flower spikes.
  • This fern lineage dates back over 75 million years, making it one of the oldest living plant groups on Earth.
  • The woolly fiddleheads were historically used by Native Americans as food in spring.
  • Cinnamon fern can form massive clumps over decades, with root masses that create raised hummocks in wetlands.
  • The fibrous roots, called osmunda fiber, were historically used as a potting medium for orchids.

Color meanings

0

sincerity

1

shelter

2

fascination

Uses

  • wetland garden plant
  • orchid potting medium
  • erosion control