Matteuccia struthiopteris

If you’re looking for an impressive plant to bring life to a shady space, you won’t regret taking a shot at this spectacular shuttlecock fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris.  Watch those tightly curled fronds unroll into fiddleheads in spring, before fully unfurling into a giant shuttlecock of upright, soft ferny foliage which lasts through summer and autumn. The flamboyant, feathery appearance of these enormous leaves also earn this fabulous foliage plant a second common name—Ostrich fern.    

By early summer Matteuccia struthiopteris will be in full foliage glory, providing a magnificent architectural presence. The shuttlecock fern loves a spot in cool, damp soils and boggy areas. This super low-maintenance, fully hardy perennial is a keen naturaliser, spreading by underground rhizomes to form spectacular colonies as the years pass. Shade-loving Matteuccia struthiopteris flourishes in the dappled shade beneath a canopy of deciduous trees, in the full shade of buildings or close to a pond edges.