Diplazium esculentum the Vegetable Fern
Family: Dryopteridaceae
Genus: Diplazium (dy-PLAY-zee-um)
Species: esculentum (es-kew-LEN-tum)

Diplazium esculentum is native to Africa. southeastern Aisa, and Polynesia and get's it's name from the fact that in Asia this is the most consumed fern. The fiddleheads are edible and is used in stir fried vegetable or as a green in a salad. The fiddleheads are high in Omega 3, but also so has some mild toxins that could cause cancer if eaten in abundance over time.
This fern has a rich dark green color, gets two to three feet tall and has rhizome that grow up like a tree fern trunk, however the trunk only gets about six to eight inches tall. The fronds are broad and two-pinnate. This fern puts off pups from the creeping underground rhizomes and can fill in an area really pretty fast. I'm a zone 8b and have had trouble with the cold weather it does freeze for me and only plants that are up under evergreens have come back for me in the spring. Zone 9 to 11 should not have this issue in normal winters such as the one we have just had so far.
This fern prefers moist to wet soil and works well in pots the growth is upright and stays well and does not break easily. Set in medium to bright light keep it watered and you will have a beautiful full fern.