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sweet fern

Scientific Name: Comptonia peregrina

Family: Myricaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Subshrub, Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names: IL (sweet-fern), KY (sweet-fern), OH (sweet-fern),

       

Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina)

Sweetfern, despite its common name, is not a fern but a deciduous shrub celebrated for its aromatic leaves and historical uses.

Considerations for Pets

  • Sweetfern is a deciduous shrub, so it may lose its leaves seasonally.

Considerations for Children

  • Sweetfern has slender, reddish-brown branches.

Quirky Facts

  • The common name "sweetfern" is considered misleading, as the plant is a shrub, not a fern.
  • Crushed leaves of sweetfern emit a pungent, turpentine-like aroma.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Comptonia peregrina (L.) J.M. Coult.
  • Common Names: Sweetfern, Sweet-fern, Fern Gale, Meadow Fern, Ferngale
  • Family: Myricaceae (Bayberry Family or Wax-myrtle family)
  • Synonyms: Liquidambar peregrina
  • The genus name Comptonia honors Compton, Bishop of London (1632-1713).
  • The species name peregrina comes from Latin, meaning "foreign."

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
  • Typically found on gravelly soils, from well-drained dry sites to the edges of marshes.
  • Cold hardy to zone 2 but performs poorly in zones warmer than 6.
  • Often found along road cuts in the northeastern United States.

Morphology and Growth Habits

  • A deciduous shrub, growing to a height of 2 to 5 feet (1.5 meters).
  • Has slender, reddish-brown branches.
  • Possesses fern-like leaves that have a pleasant fragrance when crushed.
  • Forms colonies and is rhizomatous.
  • Leaves are alternate, short-petioled, and dotted with glands.
  • Has a long, horizontal root.

Traditional Uses

  • Employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes, especially as a poultice for various complaints.
  • Both raspberry and sweetfern can be used for indigestion, as well as many other health concerns.
  • Historically used as a remedy for tenia.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Sweetfern is a larval host plant.

Ecological Role

  • Useful in the landscape for erosion control.
  • Provides a roadside plant in eastern North America.

Further Information

  • Dave's Garden
  • University of Maine
  • Ontario Trees and Shrubs