Matteuccia struthiopsis - OSTRICH FERN
TANYA'S TAKE:
The feathery fronds of the common (and yes, native) Ostrich Fern is a hallmark of many shady gardens. Yes, it does best in moist areas, but I've somewhat sucessfully grown it in my dry yard for years. It doesn't love my too dry soil, but it never completely dies. It always reaches out for more shade in my yard and wants to live! But I'm finally going to move on from it. What I've learned is that it's very tough and adaptable. With a solid layer of mulch it will grow just about anywhere in full shade. Even very dry shade.
Pollinators served Small insects and other pollinators
Color and texture 2-3' tall frond with fine textured leaves.
Flowers n/a
Height 2-3' x 2-3' in dry shade. I've seen it easily top 4' in moist conditions.
Sun, part shade or shade? Full shade to dappled shade. Sun will scorch this plant easily.
Is it a bully? It can run a lot if it's happy. I didn't find it hard to control.
Drought tolerance Limited
Toughness rating It will tolerate much more than people think a fern will.
Should you give this plant a try? If you have full shade spot with a lot of compost or leaves for mulch. Or a moist spot or in a rain garden with full shade. Or maybe even where you have a downspout discharging area...as long as it's minimal sun.
Is this native? Yup. DC, MD and VA
What is a native plant plug?
A small plant about 1.5" x 1.5" x 5". Yep, it’s pretty small. But they are incredibly well rooted and ready to grow.
With a season of growth, they'll be roughly the size of a gallon plant and fully acclimated to your conditions.
Why does Bipartisan Gardens focus on selling native plant plugs?
It's a 45 min drive to the nearest native plant nursery. That is a barrier for many people so we provide easy access to native plants at a cost effective price.
We want you to have birds and bees in your yard…you can buy native plants online, right here, right now and pick them up close to your home!
Benefits/uses of plant plugs
1 - Establish new areas of garden beds quickly and inexpensively.
Native plant plugs allow you to purchase multiple plants cost effectively. You can establish robust plantings quickly to have flowers and dense, weed blocking plantings this year.
2- Buy a sampler!
From this sale you can also try native pollinator plants in a cost effective way. Not sure a plant will work for you? Just $4-5 lets you see if it’ll work. You can try as many as you like and see what works for different locations in your yard without breaking the bank.
3 – We provide a variety of natives that you won’t see in many nurseris. From sun to shade, native specites to tried and true native cultivars we strive to bring a variety to you.
4 - Did I mention they are cheap?? At $4-5 per plant they are a cost effective investment this year for next year's garden.
To put this in context, at a nursery native plants are between $13-20 per plant. While those plants are larger, they typically only have one extra season of growth on them. Buying small and waiting is an excellent investment!
PICK UP LOCATION options
PETWORTH
4011 8th St NW DC 20011
TAKOMA
808 Aspen St NW DC 20012
NOMA - yes, you can pick up at the Farmers Market. Leave a note for me during checkout on the Cart Page.
PICK UP DAYS AND TIMES OPTIONS
PETWORTH
4011 8th St NW DC 20011 on Tuesday 6-8pm
TAKOMA
808 Aspen St NW DC 20012
You can pick up Friday 5/22 onward. On the CART page, leave me a note.
NoMa folks - yes, you can pick up at the Farmers Market. Leave a note for me during checkout on the Cart Page.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
The plants will come with basic care and planting instructions.
A few quick FAQ's Planting immediately is best, but it is ok to leave them in their containers in a cool shady spot for a few days. Keep them watered, they are small they dry very quickly. Dig a small hole, plant and water thoroughly. Don't forget to label them!
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have a question?
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