Ostrich fern is an upright, arching, deciduous fern that is easy to grow in damp to wet soil in partial to full shade—it can also tolerate a fair amount of sun. One of the largest and most popular of the ferns, it grows 2-3 feet in most gardens but can reach 6 feet in the wild. The name ostrich fern refers to the long feathery fronds that emerge in a curled ball or fiddlehead from the bottom of the plant in the spring. Plants spread by underground rhizomes and can become invasive. Use in the woodland or at the water’s edge as companions to wildflowers, astilbes, and hostas.