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Sweet Fern (1 gal) (Comptonia peregrina)
Sweet Fern (1 gal) (Comptonia peregrina)
$27.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Quantity
79 in stock
Comptonia peregrina
Choose Sweet Fern for dry, sandy banks or naturalized native areas where you need tough spreading cover; the tradeoff is that it looks informal and can run, so it is not for tight, polished beds.
Buy This If
- You need cover in poor soil.
- You want a native shrub.
- You like aromatic foliage.
Skip This If
- You need a tidy clump.
- You want fast growth.
- Your soil stays wet.
PGNE Report Card
| Category | Grade | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape Impact | B | Sweet Fern gives a natural, textured look, but it is more rugged than showy. |
| Growth Rate | C | It is slow to fill in, so patience matters on larger areas. |
| Maintenance | A- | Once established in the right site, it asks for very little beyond keeping its spread in bounds. |
| Deer Resistance | A- | Its aromatic, resinous foliage is not a preferred browse, making it dependable where deer pressure is heavy. |
| Small Space Fit | C- | Its spreading habit makes it a poor fit where every edge needs to stay crisp. |
| Screening Value | D | This is groundcover-style shrub massing, not a plant for privacy or screening. |
Our Experience
At PGNE, we'd typically recommend Sweet Fern for problem ground, not feature planting. Give it room, avoid rich wet soil, and use it where an informal native colony makes sense. It is one of the few natives that actually prefers the barren, sandy, nutrient-poor soil most plants fail in — it fixes its own nitrogen, so it establishes on banks and cuts where topsoil is thin or gone.
Plant Facts
| Botanical Name | Comptonia peregrina |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Sweet Fern |
| Mature Height | 2-5 ft |
| Mature Width | 4-8 ft |
| Hardiness Zones | 2a-7a |
| Spacing | 4.5-5 ft |
| Sun | Full Sun to Part Shade |
| Moisture | Dry to average |
| Growth Habit | Upright, spreading, suckering shrub |
| Evergreen | No |
| Native | Yes (species native to New England/eastern US) |
| Best Used For | Erosion control on dry sandy banks • Native plantings on poor or disturbed soil • Naturalized edges and road cuts • Nitrogen-fixing pioneer cover |
| Wetland Indicator Status | Not rated as a wetland plant — this is an upland species of dry, sandy, well-drained ground. Do not use it in wetland or wet-zone buffer work. |
Customers Usually Ask
Is Sweet Fern actually a fern?
No, it is a woody native shrub with fern-like foliage.
Can I use it on a wetland or buffer job?
Not in the wet zone — it is an upland plant that wants dry, sandy, well-drained soil. It is excellent on the dry upper bank or a road cut, but it will not tolerate saturated ground.
Will it spread?
Yes, it spreads by underground rhizomes and can form colonies.
Where does it look best?
On dry slopes, sandy edges, and naturalized native areas.
Why buy for fall color
- See the actual color before you buy it
- Foliage, berries and late bloom — all three seasons of interest
- Fall planting means roots established before winter
Pro Growers of New England, Inc
SKU:PGNE-31209
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