Factsheet S60: Matteuccia – Ostrich fern

Of the few fern species that are edible, the fiddlehead of the ostrich fern is one of the most widely consumed, particularly in North America and Japan. The curled fiddlehead fronds that emerge in April and May in many areas are the first fresh spring vegetable. The annual commercial harvest is essentially still a cottage industry, short-lived and labour intensive.