Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
NativeStar® Blue Sea Sweetfern is a fantastic cultivar of the native plant and perfect to use in any wildflower or woodland garden plan. The fern-like foliage is highly textured and tough as nails for the most hard-to-grow areas. The foliage is tinged a blue-green during most of the year but turns impressive shades of yellow, orange, and tan during the fall, adding more interest to the garden. NativeStar® Blue Sea Sweetfern also has a fantastic scent of woodland ferns giving it the common name of Sweetfern.
Blue Sea Sweetfern is excellent as a taller-growing groundcover and thrives in even the worst of soil conditions. Pollution, salt, wind, heavy snow cover from plows, or gravelly soil are no match for this native cultivar. Plant multiple shrubs for hillside stabilization or in a wildlife area to attract beneficial insects. Sweetfern is the larval host for the Grey Hairstreak Butterfly while also supporting early pollinators with catkin-like blooms early in the spring before new foliage emerges.
NativeStar® Blue Sea Sweetfern Care
Plant Sweetfern in just about any soil texture or pH as long as it is well draining and not overly rich. Full sun to part shade will keep the bluish color of the foliage vibrant and allow Sweetbay to form flowers and seeds to support wildlife. Water about an inch a week until plants are fully established. Mulch with 2-3 inches of organic compost or arborist chips in the spring to help the soil to retain moisture. Supplemental fertilizing is not required.
Comptonia peregrina is slow to spread and not considered invasive. Spreading occurs by underground rhizomes that spread out from the original shrub. Prune back any winter-damaged branches in early spring before the foliage emerges. Thinning or trimming is only needed during the growing season to keep plants within bounds. Sweetfern is hardy for USDA zones 2-8 and requires no extra winter protection.
NativeStar® Blue Sea Sweetfern Spacing
NativeStar® Blue Sea Sweetfern has a mature height of 2-4 feet and a spread of 4-6 feet. Space plants at 3-4 feet apart to get quick coverage with this slow grower.
NativeStar® Blue Sea Sweetfern Information
| USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 - 8 |
| Plant Type: Perennials |
| Light Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight) |
| Mature Height: 2 - 4 Feet |
| Mature Spread: 4 - 6 Feet |
| Spacing: 3 - 4 Feet |
| Habit: Spreading, Trailing, Upright |
| Flower Color(s): None |
| Flower Description: Inconspicuous |
| Bloom Period: |
| Foliage Type: Evergreen |
| Foliage Color(s): Green |
| Foliage Description: |
| Seasonal Interest: 4 Season Interest |
| Watering: Low |
| Resists: Deer |
| Tolerates: Drought |
| Attracts: Birds |
| Container Role: |
| Uses: Hedges & Privacy, Specimen or Focal Point, Wildlife Gardens |
| Features: Attracts Pollinators, Foliage Interest, Fragrant, Low Maintenance, Native to North America |
| Brand: American Beauties Native Plants |
| Common Name: NativeStar® Blue Sea Sweetfern |
| Other Name(s): |
| Scientific Name: Comptonia peregrina NativeStar® 'Blue Sea' |
- SKU:
- 1231012232-pc
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
We stand behind our plants with industry-leading guarantees to give you peace of mind.
We want your plants to arrive in great condition! If you notice any issues upon delivery, contact us within 3 days.
All bushes, perennials & trees come with an extended 1-year warranty for added confidence. If your plant dies due to a health issue within a year, we’ll make it right.
Pre-ordered plants are scheduled to ship in Spring 2025. We carefully plan our shipping dates based on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone to ensure optimal planting conditions upon arrival. Want it sooner/later? Reach out, and we'll try our best to accommodate.
Estimated ship week for pre-ordered plants will ship based on growing zones as shown below.
| Growing Zone | Estimated Ship Week |
|---|---|
| Zone 10 | March 24th |
| Zone 9 | March 31st |
| Zone 8 | April 7th |
| Zone 7 | April 14th |
| Zone 6b | April 21st |
| Zone 6a | April 28th |
| Zone 5b | May 5th |
| Zone 5a | May 12th |
| Zone 4 | May 19th |
| Zone 3 | May 26th |
Note: These are only estimated ship dates. Plants may ship out later depending on weather & growing conditions of the plant.
Note: Only plants indicated as pre-order will ship as shown above. All other plants and hard goods will ship as normal.
Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.