Sweet Fern

Scientific Name: Comptonia peregrina (L.) J.M. Coult.

Sweet Fern

General Information
Usda Symbol	COPE80
Group	Dicot
Life Cycle	Perennial
Growth Habits	ShrubSubshrub,
Native Locations	COPE80

Plant Guide

Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Sweet Fern.

Fact Sheet

Alternate Names

Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult. var. aspleniifolia (L.) Fern., Myrica aspleniifolia L., Myrica peregrina (L.) Kuntze

Uses

This nitrogen-fixing plant is used primarily as a ground cover for erosion control and species diversity in sterile, sandy soils. The abundant underground stems, or rhizomes, makes it especially suited to stabilizing steep, sandy banks. It makes a pleasing companion plant in a coastal setting with the low growing junipers, rugosa rose, bayberry, and beach plum.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values). It is considered threatened or endangered in several states.

Description

Bayberry Family (Myricaceae). Sweetfern is a low, loosely branched, mat-forming shrub, 1-3 feet high, with sweet-scented, fern like leaves. The alternate, hair-covered leaves are 2-5 inches long and taper at each end. There is an occasional compound leaf form variation. The leaf blades are deeply cut into 20 or more rounded lobes, dark green above, paler and hair-covered beneath and on the midrib and margin above. Resinous glands cover both surfaces. Leaves are very aromatic when crushed. The flowers are small, inconspicuous catkins that bloom during April and May. Flowers of one or both sexes can be produced on an individual plant. The male catkins are rather long and cylindrical; the female catkins are short and rounded. In winter, the male catkins are prominent and erect. The female catkins become bur-like at maturity and are 1/2 inch in diameter. The seeds are nutlets that mature in August and become available in September and October. About four seeds are found in each fruit. Each seed is about 1/4 inch long, olive brown in color, and shiny.

Adaptation and Distribution

Distribution , Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Sweet Fern.

Distribution

Sweetfern does especially well in open, sterile, sandy soils of woodlands, clearings, and pastures. It prefers acidic soils over limestone soils. USDA NRCS National Plant Materials Center Beltsville, MD Sweetfern is distributed throughout northeastern United States. For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

Establishment

Some nurseries offer wild collected clumps, but it is best established using nursery-grown, containerized plants. Losses of plants from the wild can be considerable. One or two year old liner material is also acceptable.

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

Morphology/Physiology

Reproduction

Suitability/Use

Sweet Fern

Sweet Fern