This week: Handsome Cinnamon Fern
Hello!
Fall foliage isn’t limited to trees and shrubs. Some ferns sport outstanding autumnal colors, like the handsome Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum). In the fall, it turns a stunning golden color, fading to bronze as it goes dormant for the winter.
Another reason why Cinnamon Fern stands out in the fall is its size. It can grow anywhere from three to five feet tall—the wetter the soil, the taller it gets. It’s vase-shaped, so a specimen standing alone also adds drama to any landscape.
Cinnamon Fern prefers moist to soggy soil, and is found along the edges of sunny swamps and wetlands, or in shady wet forests in the eastern and midwestern United States. It also likes acidic soil—I found abundant Cinnamon Fern in a forest understory alongside Mountain Laurel, Black Huckleberries, and Lowbush Blueberries—all acid-loving plants. Deer avoid it, and birds use the tall fronds for nesting and nesting-building materials.
Cinnamon Ferns are one of the more affordable, easy-to-find native ferns in the spring when they are available as bagged bare roots at many garden centers and nurseries. They make a great addition to a shade garden or to a sunny, wet area.
A Legendary Name
The common name comes from its center fronds. In early summer, short, brown, stiff fronds grow from the middle of the plant. Their color and shape resemble cinnamon, which is why it is called the Cinnamon Fern.
The botanical name is more fun. There are a couple of theories about why Linnaeus bestowed the family name Osmundaceae on these ferns. One is because Osmunda is another name for the Norse god Thor. A more compelling origin story comes from Scottish legend. Osmund, a waterman, hid his wife and daughter in a stand of tall ferns, saving them from invading Danes. The ferns are named to honor this heroic effort!
Elsewhere:
If you are one of the unlucky people with Rose of Sharon shrubs and don’t want to find baby plants all over the place next spring, now is the time to shear and dispose of their seed heads. This article from Savvy Gardening will show you how to minimize the effects of super-seeders.
Have a good week,
Julie