Comptonia peregrina
sweet fern
Notes:
Not actually a fern. Transplant only when dormant; can be difficult to establish.
Actually prefers infertile soils, as it does not compete well on better sites.
The foliage is aromatic when rubbed, with notes of lavender, hay, and balsam fir.
Sources: White Oak, Dove/Woolridge, Stoecklein, JerseyYards.org, UConn, USDA, Druse.
Tags:
acidic soil preferred
alkaline soil intolerant
aromatic foliage
aromatic twigs/bark
attracts:birds (ex-humming)
attracts:butterflies
attracts:larval host
compacted soil intolerant
deer resistant
drought tolerant
exposure:full sun
exposure:part shade
fine texture
form:shrub
full sun preferred
habit:mounding
habit:rounded
habit:upright
infertile soil tolerant
native:eastern North America
nitrogen fixing
persistence:deciduous
pest/disease free
sandy soil tolerant
slow-growing
stoloniferous/suckering
type:broadleaf
use:border
use:groundcover
use:mass planting
use:naturalizing
water:moderate to little
water:regular
wind tolerant
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