Cinnamon Fern   Osmunda cinnamomea

This beautiful circular-shaped plant is named for the fertile cinnamon-colored fronds that emerge from the center of a fern clump in late spring and grow three to four feet tall. When its “fiddle-head” fronds first appear in the spring and unfurl their stems, they are covered with white hairs, which soon turn brown. The roots are wiry, densely matted and a good soil stabilizer. The fern, which is very common to our area, is best planted in moist soil, but will grow in water-logged conditions. And though it prefers semi-shade, it will tolerate full sun if kept moist.

image credits: Betty Kistler