Cinnamon Fern
(Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)
Left:Osmundastrum cinnamomeum in ASMSA Garden in Spring 2024.
Above: Osmundastrum cinnamomeum in late summer.
Plant Characteristics
Plant Preference/Growing Conditions:
Cinnamon Fern can live in all sun conditions and prefers acidic, clayish sand or soil.
Growth Habit/Description:
Perennial, deciduous fern; they can grow almost 6 feet tall with very tall, cinnamon colored fronds.
Bloom Season:
No flowers or fruits, but its frond appears in early spring.
Fall and/or Winter Interest?
Yes, the fronds and leaves turn golden to golden brown in the fall months.
https://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Osmundastrum%20cinnamomeum.png
Distribution
Habitat: Cinnamon fern grows on bluffs and in bogs.
Native to Arkansas? Yes
Native to Garland County? No
Endemic to Arkansas? No
Ecological Value
Host Plant for Caterpillars?
No.
Other Known Ecological Value?
It provides great ground cover in the fall seasons, as well as its leaves and fronds being used for birds' nests.
Other Interesting Facts
Reason for Name:
Due to the cinnamon-colored frond that appears, it is called the cinnamon fern.
References
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Raleigh (NC): North Carolina State University. Osmundastrum cinnamomeum. [Cited 2024, May 2]. Available from: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/osmundastrum-cinnamomeum/
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center Plant Database. Austin (TX). Osmundastrum cinnamomeum. [Cited 2024, May 2]. Available from: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=OSCI
Last edited by Kira Burnett, May 2024.