Species: Comptonia peregrina
(komp-TOH-nee-uh per-uh-GREE-nuh)
Sweetfern
Found on Course Walks
Map of plant locations
(Plant location data may be incomplete)
In Collection(s):
None Listed
Cultivars
No cultivars listed
Ornamental Characteristics
Shrub < 4 feet, Groundcover
2 to 4' tall with a suckering spread twice the height
Deciduous
Broad, flat-topped to rounded shrub
full sun to part shade, has the ability to fix nitrogen, sandy, peaty, acid soils with low fertility are best
Environmental Characteristics
Full sun, Part shade
3a
Requires acid (pH 5.0 to 7.0)
Tolerates salt spray
Dark green fragrant foliage, coarse lobes on the leaves look somewhat like fern fronds, old stems are an interesting copper or purplish color
Consistently moist, well-drained soil; Occasional periods of dry soil
See graphic below
Insect Disease
none serious
Bare Root Transplanting
Other
difficult to transplant; native to the northeastern United States
Moisture Tolerance Graphic
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Moisture Tolerance
