Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King'

(aka: Matteuccia 'Fanfare') Matteuccia 'The King' is an amazing selection of ostrich fern, distributed by Larry Mellichamp, who got it from NC's Powell's Garden around 1985. Matteuccia 'The King' is the only form we've found that thrives in the hot, humid southeastern US, where normal ostrich ferns fear to tread. The 3' tall deciduous rosettes (6' tall under ideal conditions) spread vigorously via underground rhizomes. In nature, the deer-resistant ostrich ferns are found in moist ditches and lowlands, but also adapt well to drier garden conditions where they grow a bit shorter. Patches of Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King' are highlighted by the 18" brown fertile fronds that appear in fall and persist through the winter when they can be spray painted with some cool psychedelic colors to freak out your garden visitors.