Ostrich fern

Matteuccia struthiopteris

ShadeGrown for its leavesA wet spot or a rain garden

Leaves worth havingTakes shadeNative

What it needs, what it becomes

Type	Ferns
Family	Onocleaceae
Size when mature	1.2 m tall, 1 m across
Light	Shade, Part sun
Moisture	Moist
Soil	loam, clay
Soil pH	5 to 7
Hardy to	-30 degrees
Flowers	Grown for its leaves rather than its flowers
For pollinators	Little
Water	High water
Upkeep	Little
Growth	Fast
In Europe	Native
Spreading risk	Low
If eaten	People: Can upset a stomach · Dogs: Can upset a stomach · Cats: Can upset a stomach

Note: spreads by underground runners and can take over a bed; give it room or a barrier

Reviewed and approved for Poland by a qualified gardener with thirty years of practice, 2026-09-22.

The studio draws a plan for your own plot and picks plants that suit its light and soil. It needs no account.