Cinnamon Fern plant profile
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
A perennial fern for partial sun.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Cinnamon Fern
Cinnamon fern is a moisture-loving fern whose fertile, cinnamon-brown spore fronds appear in early spring as the fiddleheads emerge. Set out new plants in spring; it is slow to establish but long-lived and may go dormant if the soil dries out.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Cinnamon Fern in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Partial sun
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 6
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Spacing
- 36 to 72 in apart
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a to 9bFind my hardiness zone
Next steps
Continue with Cinnamon Fern
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Osmundastrum cinnamomeum (Cinnamon Fern)
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (NC State Extension). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.