This large fern (1.5 to 2 m) has both sterile (green) and fertile (brown) leaves, or fronds. Its sterile fronds are unbranched, arching, and elongated. Their truncated tips end in a small point. They form a crown around the fertile fronds. The presence of brown scales on the enlarged base of the midrib is a distinctive feature of the species.
It grows in the shade of forests or large shrubs, in rich, moist soils. It thrives in the floodplains of streams and rivers. However, it requires well-drained soil in summer.
This easy-to-grow fern, widely used in landscaping, is available in commercial nurseries. In spring, the young shoots (or fiddleheads) are harvested from the wild and are a delicacy. However, it is important to verify the identification of this fern, as two deadly plants, spotted hemlock and spotted water-repellent hemlock, have deeply lobed leaves that can be confused with those of fiddlehead fern. Fiddleheads were once a significant part of the diet of First Nations people in eastern Canada.
Source: https://espacepourlavie.ca/flore-biodome/matteuccie-fougere-lautruche-tete-de-violon
