Comptonia peregrina

Common Names

Sweet-Fern, Sweetfern

Summary

Comptonia peregrina is a North American native shrub in the Myricaceae, typically 2–5 ft tall and 4–8 ft wide, forming dense rhizomatous colonies, its aromatic, narrow, deeply lobed, fern-like leaves give a distinctive scent when crushed, and it bears brown staminate catkins at branch ends and elongating yellow-green pistillate flowers that develop burr-like fruits, occurring in dry, sandy to rocky soils in pinelands, pine barrens, clearings, or woodlot edges from sea level to about 1800 m, preferring full sun to partial shade on well-drained sandy or acidic soils, it tolerates drought and poor fertility and spreads readily by rhizomes, propagation is best by root cuttings, while seed germination is difficult, and nursery stock is commonly used for ground-cover, erosion control, naturalized plantings, and slope stabilization, aromatic foliage can be used to brew tea or as a seasoning, and the plant supports butterflies and other pollinators, it is hardy in USDA zones 2–6 and is a nitrogen-fixer that enhances soil fertility

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

24 inches-5 feet

Spread

2-5 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 2-6

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, slightly acidic soil

Soil Drainage

Dry, well-drained soil (preferably acidic, sandy or rocky)

Soil pH

4.5-6.5

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring (April–May), with regional variation sometimes extending into May–June or May–August.

Foliage Color

Dark green upper surface with gray-green undersides, fall foliage reddish-orange

Fall Foliage Color

Bronze, Brown/Copper, reddish before browning, orange-red with sun exposure

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Medium, 5–10 years to reach its ultimate height

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering, Suckers

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, butterflies, other pollinators