Sweetfern wonderful aromat
Comptonia peregrina (Sweetfern)
There are many questions that cross our minds through the day. Questions such as: Why is bread in the first aisle of the supermarket? Having the bread in the first aisle of the store causes one to pick it up first and then it's on the bottom of the cart. Or, who's driving the car if one hand is holding a coffee cup, one hand is holding a cell phone, one hand has a cigarette and the other hand is adjusting the radio? Why doesn't car insurance decrease as our cars depreciate? And of course the most important question of all is: Why don't plant nurseries grow and sell sweetfern?
In all honesty I have been asked why nurseries don't offer sweetfern by at least three people. This isn't scientific data, but I believe there are many more quiet people out there that are afraid to ask this question out loud.
The main reason I believe that sweetfern isn't found in nurseries, is it is a hard plant to transplant and establish. Nurseries just don't want to take the risk. I believe sweetfern is a plant that is worth learning more about so it can be grown and transplanted easily and then the retailers won't be afraid of it.
If you have ever taken a walk in a pine barren and brushed against a sweetfern plant, the aroma that surrounds one is very enticing. I personally can't help tearing off a leaf and smelling it every time I see the plant. This is one reason it doesn't survive in our yard. It is often used in potpourri.
Sweetfern does especially well in sandy, sterile, dry, sunny locations. Plants have best growth in acidic soil. Sweetfern is a nitrogen fixating species. As many of you know legumes or plants in the pea family fixate nitrogen by root nodules in a symbiotic relationship with bacteria. Sweetfern fixates nitrogen with a symbiotic relationship with a fungus. Because of its ability to fixate nitrogen, sweetfern is useful as a ground cover for erosion control on sterile dry soils.
Sweetfern will only grow 2 to 4 feet tall. It sends out rhizomes and suckers up to form clumps. It will spread about twice its height. It doesn't compete well with other plants. Once planted and established, you shouldn't ever have to prune a sweetfern.
If you are observant you will notice that sweetfern is spelled as one word. This is because it isn't a true fern. Its tooth-like foliage lobes resemble the foliage of ferns so the plant can be mistakenly identified as a fern.
The flowers are catkins. They are yellow green and appear in May or April. Don't get to excited since they blend in and aren't showy.
Sweetfern is classified as an aromatic, astringent herb. Traditionally it has been used to control bleeding, reduce diarrhea, and used as a wash for poison ivy rash.
There are no serious insects or disease problems. Need I say more?
Sweetfern is a plant that not only survives a sunny, dry, sandy, sterile environment but also does extremely well in it. With its rhizomes and spreading growth it is an excellent selection for erosion control. If you believe that we should be using more natives in our plantings, I encourage you to try to find a sweetfern to plant. If you can't find one, plead with your local nursery to order one for you.