Comptonia peregrina
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- komp-TOH-nee-uh per-uh-GREE-nuh
- Description
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This beautiful fern has a delicate look that will give that exotic feel to any garden and a lush feel to your landscape.
This plant is a low maintenance fern in the Myricaceae family. This native to eastern North America has aromatic foliage that resembles ferns, hence the common name of sweet fern. It is often found along roadsides and is capable of fixing its own nitrogen. It works well in rain gardens or be allowed to naturalize. Once established, it can spread rapidly to form colonies.
Interesting information
This plant is a Wildlife Enhancement
Seed: Nutlet
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant insect or disease problems.
Foliage:
Zig-zag fragrant leaves are simple, narrow, lustrous, pinnatifid, deeply notched, olive to dark green (to 4" long).
Flower:
Insignificant, yellow-green female, brown male catkins, appear April-May. Greenish brown, burr-like nutlets follow.
A plant that tolerates many conditions including drought, wet sites, and wind. It can even grow in sheltered seaside locations. Prefers sandy acidic loams, well-drained, in full sun to part. It does not transplant well so choose a location carefully. This would make a good choice for stabilizing slopes or embankments.
Form:
Upright
This plant naturalizes, wet sites, deciduous, low maintenance and has fragrant leaves.
This plant will bring that luxurious feel to your garden and enhance its beauty with its luxurious green leaves.
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Comptonia
- Species:
- peregrina
- Family:
- Myricaceae
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada to North Central & Eastern U.S.A
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Fragrance
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- This plant has brown male catkins. It also has female flowers.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves can be green or a mixture of red, orange, or yellow.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil