Sweet fern
Comptonia peregrina
A fragrant, fern-like native shrub that thrives in poor soils.
- Plant Type
- Shrubs & Roses
- Width
- 4-8 Ft.
- Height
- 2-5 Ft.
- USDA hardiness zone
- 2 - 7
- Sun requirements
- Full Sun, Part Shade
- Design image count
- 1
Design images (1)
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Create design onlineAbout Sweet fern
Comptonia peregrina, commonly known as sweetfern, is a unique deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. It features aromatic, fern-like foliage that emits a pleasant scent when crushed. This low-growing, mounding plant is a nitrogen-fixer, allowing it to thrive in poor, sandy, or acidic soils where other plants struggle. It spreads via rhizomes to form dense colonies, making it an excellent choice for erosion control on slopes or for naturalizing in wilder garden areas.