Sweet Fern, Comptonia peregrina, is not a fern but a low-growing shrub and member of the Bay (Laurel) family of plants. The fern-like leaves give off a pleasant fragrance when crushed. Sweet Fern grows well in sandy soils, from well-drained dry sites to the edges of marshes …
Sweet Fern, Comptonia peregrina, is not a fern but a low-growing shrub and member of the Bay (Laurel) family of plants. The fern-like leaves give off a pleasant fragrance when crushed. Sweet Fern grows well in sandy soils, from well-drained dry sites to the edges of marshes. It tolerates moisture well but will not tolerate clay sites. In favorable conditions Sweet Fern will spread easily and form colony. A good choice for erosion control on an embankment, massing along the foundation of a building, or along a driveway. Sweet Fern is a larval host plant for numerous moths including the Sweetfern Underwing moth (Catocala antinympha), as well as the Gray Hairstreak butterfy (Strymon melinus) in northern parts of its range.
Native plants can be grown outside of their native range in the appropriate growing conditions. This map shows the native range, as well as the introduced range, of this species.
Plant Shipping Rates: Plant orders of $50.00 and under, add $9.95 shipping charge. Plant orders over $50.00, add 18% of the total plant cost.
We ship plants in the spring, and in the fall, during our plant-shipping periods. Fall plant-shipping begins on September 11, 2023, and the last day to order plants for fall shipment is October 1, 2023.
During checkout, you will choose a Shipping Week for your plant delivery, from the dates that are available. The week that you choose will be included in your order confirmation email. When your plants have shipped you will receive another email that includes tracking information.
GENERAL SHIPPING INFORMATION
We are not able to combine a new order with a previous order, for shipping.
Plants and Seeds are shipped separately and have different shipping rates.
We are not able to arrange orders for pick-up at the Nursery. All orders are shipped.
RESTRICTIONS
Plants and Seeds are shipped within the contiguous United States, only.
Due to agricultural restrictions we no longer ship to the following states: Idaho, Utah.
Sweet Fern has a moderate to slow growth rate. A mature height of around 3 or 4 ft may be reached in 4 years. Once established it will spread by rhizomes (short stolons) to form a colony - about 3 feet from the original plant over the course of a few years.
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