Sweet Fern, Sweetfern, Comptonia peregrina var. aspleniifolia, Myrica aspleniifolia, Myrica aspleniifolia var. tomentosa, Myrica peregrina
Noted for its attractive, fragrant foliage, Comptonia peregrina (Sweet Fern) is a small, upright, deciduous shrub forming a mound of elongated, deeply incised, shiny olive green leaves, 4 in. long (10 cm). Reminiscent of narrow fern fronds, the foliage is very aromatic when crushed. Inconspicuous, yellowish green flowers appear in late spring and summer. They give way to greenish brown, burr-like seed capsules. A native shrub of eastern North America, this easy-to-grow shrub requires minimal care to remain healthy and looks wonderful in mixed borders or along woodland edges. Sweet Fern is also excellent for erosion control and slope stabilization, or as a ground-cover. Sweet Fern attracts butterflies and other pollinators, but is rarely browsed by deer.
| Hardiness |
2 - 6 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Myricaceae |
| Common names | Fern, Sweet Fern |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall |
| Height |
2' - 5' (60cm - 150cm) |
| Spread |
4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm) |
| Spacing |
72" - 96" (180cm - 240cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Fragrant, Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Midwest, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Southeast, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky |
| Tolerance | Drought, Salt, Dry Soil |
| Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Ground Covers |
| Garden Styles | Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage |
| Hardiness |
2 - 6 |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Myricaceae |
| Common names | Fern, Sweet Fern |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall |
| Height |
2' - 5' (60cm - 150cm) |
| Spread |
4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm) |
| Spacing |
72" - 96" (180cm - 240cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Fragrant, Showy |
| Native Plants | United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Midwest, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Southeast, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky |
| Tolerance | Drought, Salt, Dry Soil |
| Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Ground Covers |
| Garden Styles | Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage |
How many Comptonia peregrina (Sweet Fern) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Comptonia peregrina (Sweet Fern) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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