Zone 5.
Deep, wet, dark, swamp.

Osmunda cinnamomea cinnamon fern ? http://plants.usda.gov/java/pr...

Some Osmundas http://plants.usda.gov/java/pr...

Bloom looks right but the leaves don't...

Here's a crop showing how the bloom stalks grow out of those branches of leaves.

How about the related Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

http://plants.usda.gov/java/pr...

I do believe you've nailed it! Yes??

(was afraid for a bit I'd have to borrow Mom's galoshes and go swamp wading)

Lee Anne, your last picture/description helped immensely.

Jay deserves most of the credit. All I could think of was Sensitive Fern (Onoclea), but knew that wasn't right.

Awesome! I'll add them to the database, although there's pics there for this already.

Now I've gotta find a Cinnamon fern 'cause there's no pics for it there yet

I never would of thought it was a fern though. Figured it for a shrub...it's almost as tall as I am!

It would be so cool to walk amongst those!

We have some Cinnamon ferns here that get about three feet tall, but I'd love some that were even bigger than that.

hmmmm....do you s'pose there's seeds, or spores, or ? in them stalks?

Spores