Sweetfern

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Sweetfern

Comptonia peregrina 2-4'. Fragrant suckering woody shrub has a fern-like appearance. Spreads by rhizome to create colonies.

Woody upright stems are canopied by flat dark green toothed alternate leaves 3–5" long and ¼" wide. Leaf infusions are used topically for easing itchy or irritated skin associated with bug bites, poison ivy and other inflammations.

Associated with woodlands but also found in disturbed sandy infertile soil, often on roadsides. Prefers acidic soil; add peat to the hole when transplanting. Amend soils as you would for growing blueberries. Can be slow to establish at first but once it gets going it is a very tough plant. Nitrogen-fixing. Native to eastern U.S. Z2. Maine Grown. (1–3' bare-root plants)



7524 Sweetfern
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Additional Information

Small Trees and Shrubs

As Green’s Nursery catalog from 1904 explains, “There are many trees that by pruning can be made to resemble shrubs, and many shrubs that by different pruning may be made to produce medium-sized trees.”