Diohio's Garden
Fern, Osterich
Genus: Matteuccia.
Species: Matteuccia struthiopteris.
Found in our back woods (many) and transplanted a few to the front yard woodland gardens. It's one of our largest ferns (native). It withers away early with the first frost but its dark brown, stiff, erect, lyre-shaped compact fertile fronds stand all winter long. It likes low, wet, open woodlands and some sunshine.