Comptonia peregrina
Comptonia peregrina, commonly known as sweet fern for its fragrant, lustrous, fern-like foliage, is a super hardy shrub for terrible, infertile soils.
Description:
Comptonia peregrina, commonly known as sweet fern, is not a fern at all but has fragrant, lustrous, fern-like foliage on a super hardy shrub that loves terrible, infertile soils. It is an Eastern North American native plant 2-4 feet tall that is nitrogen fixing, drought tolerant, and will form colonies. Easily grown in a wide range of soils but difficult to propagate and resentful of transplant, it is uncommon in cultivation. Insignificant yellow flowers in April and May followed by burr-like nutlets. Prefers sandy, acidic loams with medium water.
Common Name: Sweet Fern
Family: Myrsinaceae (The Myrsine Family)
Zone Hardiness: 2-8
Light: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade
Height: 2-4'
Width: 5-8'
Primary Bloom Colour: Green
Secondary Bloom Colour: Yellow
Class: Deciduous
Type: Shrub
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Soil Moisture: Drought Tolerant, Dry, Average, Moist
Stem Colour:
Fragrance: Yes
Berries:
Benefits:
Deer Resistant: Yes
BC Native: No
Native Habitat: Dry, infertile, sandy or rocky soils in pinelands, pine barrens, clearings, pastures or edges of woods from sea level to 1800 metres in eastern North America.
Award:
Geogrpahical Origin: Americas - North America
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*The Plant Encyclopedia is updated each year to provide a representation of the plants we offer, have offered, and may offer again. However, it is not a live inventory of our stock. Not all plants will be available at all times or in every year. Use the link above to enquire about the availability of this plant. Additionally, we carry many plants that have not yet been entered into our database so please enquire if you don’t see what you’re looking for. Plants are available only for on-site sales at our nursery in Richmond, BC, Canada or for shipping within Canada. We do not ship internationally. However, if you are visiting the nursery from afar, we can arrange for the necessary permits and paperwork for you to take plants back with you to your country.