Sweetfern

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-4 Feet

Mature Spread

4-8 Feet

Growing Zones

2 to 8

Sweetfern, or Comptonia peregrina, is a small aromatic perennial known for the elaborate patterns of its deep green, textured fronds. Every spring, Sweetfern sends out an army of sweet-smelling fiddleheads, which unfurl from their snug coils of delicate olive green foliage. The flowers are brown to burgundy catkins that appear before the leaves unfold. A small nut is enfolded within. With an impressive spread of 4 to 8 feet, the Sweetfern is between 2 and 4 feet tall. 

Native to the eastern North America, the low-growing Sweetfern has a mounding, upright habit that is excellent for groundcover. They are low-maintenance, vigorous growers that are drought tolerant and tenacious. They colonize quickly by forming spores on the surface of the fronds. It is a host plant for the Gray Hairstreak butterfly, as well as a wide variety of moths. It is deer and critter resistant.

Sweetfern Care

Plant your Sweetfern in full to partial sunlight. It uses average water. Sweetfern prefers moist, sandy soil with good drainage, but once established, it can survive in dry, sandy conditions. To keep the soil moist and cool, add a generous layer of mulch to your Sweetfern. Additionally, each year, you can apply well-rotted manure or compost to your ferns. However, concentrated fertilizer should not be applied, as it can burn the surface roots of your plants. If your Sweetfern is potted, use a controlled-release fertilizer option.

To prune your Sweetfern, cut off any misshapen or broken fronds. This can be done at any time of year. If you live in a colder area, leave the spent foliage attached to the plant throughout the winter to protect its crown, and instead, remove them when spring bulbs emerge.

Sweetfern Spacing

The Sweetfern is an excellent option for providing a hardy groundcover. They are best planted en masse and can thrive in moist and shady areas. You should space your Sweetfern at least 3 feet apart from center to center to give them plenty of room to grow.