Onoclea sensibilis L.

Sterile lvs to 1 m, the blade 18–40 × 15–35 cm, with a broadly winged rachis except near the base, the segments 8–12 pairs, opposite, 1.5–5 cm wide, with scattered white hairs on the midrib and veins beneath, glabrous above; fertile lvs smaller, the blade to 17 cm, the globular pinnules 3–4 mm wide; 2n=74. Swamps, open woods, and meadows in neutral to slightly acid soil; Nf. and Lab. to Fla., w. to Minn., Ark., Tex., and irregularly to Colo.; e. Asia.

A temperate plant. It needs to grow in shade. It does best in moist, preferably acid soil. It does well beside water. It scrambles on wet soils and very shallow water. It is frost hardy. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.

The rhizome or underground stem is eaten. The young leaves or fiddleheads are boiled and eaten. They are seasoned with salt, pepper and butter.

Plants can be grown from spores or by division of the clump. Cuttings of the rhizome can be planted into moist soil.