Fiddleheads

[greeneggsandham]

Since a mushroom hunting thread was started I thought maybe some would be interested in fiddleheads. I want to go hunt for them this year. Have heard alot about them and we have a nice stream that runs behind my property and I see these huge ferns every year. My understanding is that you can only eat the fiddleheads from ostrich fern. Can someone confirm?

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
It's the Ostrich Fern from the wood fern family.

Many species with fiddle heads are eaten but the ostrich fern are considered the safest and tastiest.
Also you can grow ostrich fern easily in your garden. plant them in a cool m moist shady part of your garden and you don't have to go hunting for them and they are a low care perenial that will come back every year.

 

[greeneggsandham]

whoops duplicate post

 

[greeneggsandham]

Quote:
It's the Ostrich Fern from the wood fern family.

Many species with fiddle heads are eaten but the ostrich fern are considered the safest and tastiest.
Also you can grow ostrich fern easily in your garden. plant them in a cool m moist shady part of your garden and you don't have to go hunting for them and they are a low care perenial that will come back every year.

Thank you so much for the info. That is great to know I can grow them in my garden. I do have one corner that has good shade and I have a hard time growing much over there.

 

[AquaEyes]

Ostrich Plume Fern

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/159/

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
It's the Ostrich Fern from the wood fern family.

Many species with fiddle heads are eaten but the ostrich fern are considered the safest and tastiest.
Also you can grow ostrich fern easily in your garden. plant them in a cool m moist shady part of your garden and you don't have to go hunting for them and they are a low care perenial that will come back every year.

Thank you so much for the info. That is great to know I can grow them in my garden. I do have one corner that has good shade and I have a hard time growing much over there.

What country do you live in ? I can check some of my books and try to find sources that might sell plants. Other wise you can try to transplant some wild ones to your garden if it is legal in your area. I suggest you check with your local game management officer first to make sure it is legal to take the plants out of the wild before you do.

The ferns can out compete weeds and as long as you keep the soil moist, they are perfectly happy. It may take a year for them to establish once you transplant since perennials are slow to get established. Once established, and as long as they're happy, they'll keep you well supplied.

 

[greeneggsandham]

Quote:
Thank you so much for the info. That is great to know I can grow them in my garden. I do have one corner that has good shade and I have a hard time growing much over there.

What country do you live in ? I can check some of my books and try to find sources that might sell plants. Other wise you can try to transplant some wild ones to your garden if it is legal in your area. I suggest you check with your local game management officer first to make sure it is legal to take the plants out of the wild before you do.

The ferns can out compete weeds and as long as you keep the soil moist, they are perfectly happy. It may take a year for them to establish once you transplant since perennials are slow to get established. Once established, and as long as they're happy, they'll keep you well supplied.

I live in Connecticut.

 

[KristyHall]

Quote:
What country do you live in ? I can check some of my books and try to find sources that might sell plants. Other wise you can try to transplant some wild ones to your garden if it is legal in your area. I suggest you check with your local game management officer first to make sure it is legal to take the plants out of the wild before you do.

The ferns can out compete weeds and as long as you keep the soil moist, they are perfectly happy. It may take a year for them to establish once you transplant since perennials are slow to get established. Once established, and as long as they're happy, they'll keep you well supplied.

I live in Connecticut.

oh. CT abbreviation confused me

oops

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Mmmm fiddleheads...

I am always nervous to hunt for my own, only because I am not positive which fern it is until it unravels itself...and by then it's too late

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

What on is earth is a fiddlehead???????? Is that something like the drop bears we have in Australia?