Does cinnamon fern produce flowers?

No. Cinnamon fern is a fern, not a flowering plant. It reproduces by spores that develop on a separate upright fertile frond covered in rust colored sporangia, which is where the plant gets its common name.

When does the fertile frond of cinnamon fern appear?

The cinnamon colored fertile fronds usually emerge in spring alongside the green sterile fronds, then wither back after releasing spores.

What growing conditions does cinnamon fern prefer?

It does best in consistently moist to wet, acidic soil in part shade to shade, and is often found along stream banks, in swamps, and in low wet woods.

How large does cinnamon fern get?

Mature clumps typically reach two to three feet tall and wide, with arching sterile fronds surrounding the shorter, stiffer fertile fronds at the center.

Is Cinnamon fern HOA-friendly?

Cinnamon fern is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.

Cinnamon fern

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

Last reviewed: August 2026

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, the cinnamon fern, grows in wet woodlands, swamps and stream banks across much of the eastern and central United States, forming clumps of arching green fronds with a cinnamon colored fertile frond in spring.

Toxicity unknown

Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part shade

Water

high

Size

24"–60" H × 24"–36" W

Bloom

N/A

Native to

AL, AR, CT, DE and 29 more states

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Browse plants for this ecoregion

East Central Texas Plains South Central Plains Eastern Temperate Forests Ozark Highlands Central Irregular Plains Piedmont Western Corn Belt Plains Northern Forests Northern Lakes and Forests North Central Hardwood Forests Driftless Area Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains Central Corn Belt Plains Eastern Corn Belt Plains Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains Huron/Erie Lake Plains Northeastern Highlands Northeastern Coastal Zone Northern Allegheny Plateau Erie Drift Plain Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Piedmont Southeastern Plains Blue Ridge Ridge and Valley Central Appalachians Western Allegheny Plateau Interior Plateau Interior River Valleys and Hills Mississippi Alluvial Plain Mississippi Valley Loess Plains Southern Coastal Plain Southern Florida Coastal Plain Acadian Plains and Hills Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens

A large, elegant clumping fern that unfurls a vase-shaped rosette of tall, arching sterile fronds around a central cluster of showy cinnamon-brown fertile fronds in spring. The bright green foliage turns golden in autumn before dying back. Its bold, formal silhouette suits shaded, consistently moist beds and the edges of water features.

Growing Cinnamon fern

Grow Cinnamon fern in part shade and high water. Mature plants reach 24 to 60 inches tall and spread 24 to 36 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Cinnamon fern is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 4 out of 5.

Works well in: front yard, foundation, mid zone.

needs consistently moist soil and shade to look its best

Wildlife value

The dense fronds provide cover for amphibians and small wildlife, and the fibrous crowns offer nesting material for birds.

Common questions

Does cinnamon fern produce flowers?: No. Cinnamon fern is a fern, not a flowering plant. It reproduces by spores that develop on a separate upright fertile frond covered in rust colored sporangia, which is where the plant gets its common name.
When does the fertile frond of cinnamon fern appear?: The cinnamon colored fertile fronds usually emerge in spring alongside the green sterile fronds, then wither back after releasing spores.
What growing conditions does cinnamon fern prefer?: It does best in consistently moist to wet, acidic soil in part shade to shade, and is often found along stream banks, in swamps, and in low wet woods.
How large does cinnamon fern get?: Mature clumps typically reach two to three feet tall and wide, with arching sterile fronds surrounding the shorter, stiffer fertile fronds at the center.
Is Cinnamon fern HOA-friendly?: Cinnamon fern is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

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