What Is a Fiddlehead? Coiled New Fern Fronds
A fiddlehead is the tightly coiled tip of a young fern frond. University of Maine Extension says the name comes from its likeness to the curled scroll at the top of a violin.
The short answer
A fiddlehead is a new fern frond still rolled into a coil. Nearly all ferns make them in spring. UMaine says ostrich fern fiddleheads are about 1 inch across. They appear in clusters of about three to twelve per crown from late April into early June, then unroll into tall leafy fronds.
How does a fiddlehead grow into a frond?
UMaine says ostrich ferns grow in a clump called a crown. Sterile fronds rise from the fiddleheads plus unroll through the season. They can reach up to five feet tall. Fertile fronds emerge several weeks later. They stay about 12 to 20 inches tall plus turn brown as they hold spores. NC State lists the plant at 3 to 5 feet tall plus 2 to 4 feet wide.
| Option | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Coiled tip | New frond | Facts on fiddleheads (Bulletin 4198) |
| Sterile frond | Up to five feet | Ostrich fern fiddleheads |
| Fertile frond | 12 to 20 inches | Ostrich fern fiddleheads |
How do you identify ostrich fern fiddleheads?
UMaine gives three traits. Look for a deep U shaped groove on the inside of a smooth stem. Look for thin brown papery scales that fall off as the fiddlehead elongates. Then find the distinctive fertile frond standing in the crown. Bracken fiddleheads look fuzzy plus lack the groove. UMaine notes that nearly all ferns have fiddleheads.
U shaped groove: ostrich fern sign. Papery scales: fall off early. Fuzzy coil: bracken sign.
When do fiddleheads show up?
UMaine says clusters appear in late April, May plus early June. NC State says ostrich fern spreads by its crowns. It suggests dividing crowns in spring. NC State says lyre shaped fertile fronds of 6 to 12 inches appear in summer.
Late April: first coils. Spring: divide crowns. Summer: fertile fronds.
Troubleshooting
Fuzzy coils with no groove? UMaine says that points to bracken, not ostrich fern.
Brown fronds in summer? Those are fertile fronds per UMaine.
Crowded clump? NC State says to divide crowns in spring.
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Sources
- Ostrich fern fiddleheads, Matteuccia struthiopteris (Bulletin 2540), University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Facts on fiddleheads (Bulletin 4198), University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Onoclea struthiopteris (ostrich fern), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
FAQ
Do all ferns have fiddleheads?
UMaine says nearly all ferns produce fiddleheads.
Why is it called a fiddlehead?
UMaine says the coil looks like the curled scroll at the top of a violin.
What is a crozier?
UMaine says fiddleheads are also known as croziers, after the crook shaped staff of a bishop.
How big is an ostrich fern fiddlehead?
UMaine says ostrich fern fiddleheads are about 1 inch in diameter.
How tall do ostrich fern fronds get?
UMaine says sterile fronds can reach five feet. NC State lists 3 to 5 feet tall.
