Although their brilliant green color is a delight to behold, ferns are more commonly grown for the intriguing texture and softness they add to a garden space. Cinnamon fern adds an additional visual to the mix; it bears erect, spore-bearing fertile fronds in early spring that quickly turn from green into a contrasting shade of brown. After shedding their spores in late summer, the fertile fronds die back. Fuzzy fiddleheads (which can be cooked and eaten like asparagus) emerge from the base of the plant, later growing into gracefully arched green fronds (from 2 to 4 feet long) that spread outward to create a canopy. They'll shine all summer long before turning yellow and dying back for the winter.
Cinnamon Fern Overview
Where to Plant Cinnamon Fern
Tall, elegant cinnamon fern features large, bright green fronds that spread out to form a vase-shape clump. The fronds leave enough room for contrasting underplantings such as spotted deadnettle.
Cinnamon fern looks especially at home in wet areas beside ponds, streams, and water gardens, which play to its love of moist soil. It also grows well in shaded borders, woodland gardens, native plant gardens, and bogs. You probably won't find this fern at a local nursery or big box store because it's not a domesticated landscaping staple. (It's found wild in the Eastern United States and Canada.) Online stores can help.
How and When to Plant Cinnamon Fern
Plant cinnamon fern in spring or early fall. Dig a hole as deep and twice as wide as the root ball to provide room for the rhizome to grow. Add some compost or organic material to the backfill. Place the root crown just above soil level and fill with amended soil. Water well.
Space several specimens three feet apart to accommodate full growth of each plant.
It can take several years for this plant to become established. Once mature and in optimal conditions, cinnamon fern may spread and naturalize in your landscape.
Cinnamon Fern Care Tips
Light
Cinnamon fern performs best is partial to full shade. In colder climates, it may tolerate full sun as long as it lives in consistently moist soil.
Soil and Water
In its natural habitat, cinnamon fern grows along streambeds. So in your landscape, it should be planted in moist, humus-rich, acidic-to-average soil.
It may be able to handle standing water now and then but well-draining soil is best. Keep this plant well-watered (at least once a week), especially during droughts to prevent it from getting brown and crispy. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant to conserve soil moisture.
Temperature and Humidity
Cinnamon fern is a winter-hardy native that can handle the frigid winters down to zone 3. In southern climates, keep this plant out of the sun in the growing season, especially in the afternoons. Humidity is not an issue for this tough plant.
Fertilizer
Add some compost or organic matter to your soil before planting and cinnamon fern should do just fine. If your soil is poor, a spring feeding with a 20-20-20 balanced fertilizer will give your plant a boost. Ferns are sensitive to fertilizer so opt for a slow-release type. For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.
Pruning
You can cut fronds from the plant to shape the plant during the growing season but it’s not necessary for the health of the plant. Cut yellowed fronds back to the ground in the fall or, if you need a reminder of where the plant is located, allow the fronds to stand and cut back in early spring before new growth begins.
Potting and Repotting Cinnamon Fern
Cinnamon fern will grow in pots but you’ll need a large container to accommodate the fern’s spread. Select a pot with large drainage holes and use well-draining potting soil. Site the plant in a shady spot that's protected from strong winds. Keep in mind that potted plants, unlike plants in the landscape, require more frequent watering and fertilization.
Despite their hardiness in areas with cold winters, when grown in pots, cinnamon ferns are exposed to the cold. As a protective measure, winterize the pots by sinking the container into the ground. You can also place the container in a second, larger pot to create a planting silo that will insulate the roots from the cold.
Repot the plants when they begin to reach the sides of the pot or growth emerges from drainage holes. Choose a container one size larger that the current pot and fill it with fresh potting mix. Move the plant to the new pot and water well to settle it in its new home.
Pests and Problems
Cinnamon fern is not prone to any pests or diseases. Cinnamon fern is deer resistant.
How to Propagate Cinnamon Fern
Cinnamon fern spreads slowly via underground rhizomes that get tough and woody with age. These roots are sometimes harvested and used as a potting medium for orchids and other epiphytes.
You can dig up the rhizomes every few years and divide them to create more plants. The best time to dig and divide cinnamon fern is in the spring, just as the new growth emerges. With the rhizomes exposed, use a sharp knife to cut them into pieces with roots attached. Plant the rhizome pieces into the original space and other areas of the garden that offer the best conditions for the fern. Keep the divided plants well watered after replanting.
You can also add new spores to potting medium, where they'll develop into full-fledged ferns.
Cinnamon Fern Companion Plants
Joe Pye Weed
Joe Pye weed is a showstopper of a prairie native, producing huge, puffy flower heads in late summer. It prefers moist soils, but with its extensive root system, it also tolerates drought well. It is a large plant, growing 4 to 6 feet tall. Closely related, hardy ageratum is a spreading plant that grows to only 2 feet tall. Another relative, white snakeroot, reaches 4 to 5 feet tall. All are great for naturalistic or cottage plantings and for attracting butterflies. Zones 3-10
Iris
Named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow, iris indeed comes in a rainbow of colors and in many heights. All have the classic, impossibly intricate flowers. The flowers are constructed with three upright "standard" petals and three drooping "fall" petals, which are often different colors. The falls may be "bearded" or not. Some cultivars bloom a second time in late summer. Some species prefer alkaline soil, while others prefer acidic soil. Zones 3-11
Lobelia
Colorful lobelias are a wonderful choice for landscaping around ponds and streams—anywhere the soil is consistently moist. In fact, lobelia even loves downright wet conditions, making it a top choice for bog gardens. Perennial types of lobelia (not to be confused with the low-growing, often blue, annual types) are magnets for hummingbirds, so they're great for wildlife gardens. The foliage is a handsome rich green to sometimes dark reddish purple. The plant produces striking spikes of flowers in all shades of red, pink, blue, and white. Lobelia needs humus-rich soil. Mulch with a biodegradable material, such as wood bark or chopped leaves, to add humus to the soil. Zones 2-10
Hosta
This plant, hardly grown 40 years ago, is now one of the most commonly grown garden plants. But hosta has earned its spot in the hearts of gardeners—it's among the easiest plants to grow, as long as you have some shade and ample rainfall. Hostas vary from tiny plants suitable for troughs or rock gardens to massive 4-foot clumps with heart-shaped leaves almost 2 feet long that can be puckered, wavy-edged, white or green variegated, blue-gray, chartreuse, emerald-edged—the variations are virtually endless. Hostas in new sizes and touting new foliage features seem to appear each year. This tough, shade-loving perennial, also known as plaintain lily, blooms with white or purplish lavender funnel-shaped or flared flowers in summer. Some are intensely fragrant. Hostas are a favorite of slugs and deer. Zones 3-9
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does cinnamon fern smell like the spice?Cinnamon fern's name has nothing to do with the spice or its aroma. It's because of the cinnamon-color fibers near the base of the plant.
Cinnamon fern's name has nothing to do with the spice or its aroma. It's because of the cinnamon-color fibers near the base of the plant.
- Do cinnamon ferns spread aggressively?Cinnamon ferns will spread via rhizomes but at a moderate rate that should allow you to keep them in check. They should be divided every 3-4 years to maintain vigor.
Cinnamon ferns will spread via rhizomes but at a moderate rate that should allow you to keep them in check. They should be divided every 3-4 years to maintain vigor.
- How long do cinnamon ferns live?You can expect your plant to live for about 15 years.
You can expect your plant to live for about 15 years.