DIY Network

Plant Varieties Eight plant varieties and the planting information for each zone From "Garden Sense" episode DGAR-101

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Matteuccia pensylvanica - Ostrich Fern

Ostrich Fern

• Can reach 4 feet high or more
  
• Grows in sun or shade
  
• Pronunication: Mah-TOO-see-uh pen-SYL-van-ee-ka
  
• Particular group of ferns known as ostrich ferns, so named because fronds resemble ostrich plumes
  
• Named in honor of Carlo Matteucci (1800-1868), an Italian physicist
  
• Large, feathery deciduous fern that grows 3 to 4 feet tall
  
• Grows in sun or shade — even in areas with poor drainage
  
• Heat zones 8-1
  
• USDA zones 2-8:

• Zone 4: Plant in spring to prevent winter heaving; plant in full sun; apply extra mulch after first hard frost; avoid contact with salt; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

• Zone 5: Plant in spring to prevent winter heaving; plant in full sun to light shade; apply extra mulch after first hard frost; avoid contact with salt; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

• Zone 6: Plant in spring or fall; plant in full sun to light shade; avoid contact with salt; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

• Zone 7: Plant in fall; plant in light to medium shade; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

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Matteuccia struthiopteris 'The King' - Ostrich Fern

• Sometimes called the Jumbo Ostrich fern
  
• Differs from the other fern because it is larger
  
• A bit more picky than the other — does best in shade and needs constant moisture
  
• Protect from strong winds
  
• Must have ample water to grow tall
  
• Heat zones 8-1
  
• USDA zones 2-8:

• Zone 4: Plant in spring to prevent winter heaving; plant in full sun; apply extra mulch after first hard frost; avoid contact with salt; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

• Zone 5: Plant in spring to prevent winter heaving; plant in full sun to light shade; apply extra mulch after first hard frost; avoid contact with salt; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

• Zone 6: Plant in spring or fall; plant in full sun to light shade; avoid contact with salt; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

• Zone 7: Plant in fall; plant in light to medium shade; protect from drying winter winds; water during dry spells year round; watch for presence of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid pest.

Gardening by Zip Code If you're looking to start a gardening projectbut don't know your gardening zone—visit the National Gardening Associations's USDA Hardiness Zone Finder. Enter your Zip Code to identify the proper zone.

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