Sweetfern
Comptonia peregrina
Sweetfern is a shrub for edging, groundcover, suited to shade and partial shade and clay or loam, flowering Apr, May.
| Type | Shrub |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 120 cm |
| Spread | 240 cm |
| Aspect | shade and partial shade |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Hardiness | USDA 2a-6b |
| Pollinator-friendly | Yes |
| Pet-safe | Yes |
Where to use it in a border
At around 120 cm, it sits best toward the back of a border, or on its own as a focal point with room around it. Give it about 240 cm of room to spread. It is hardy across USDA zones 2a to 6b, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of shade, clay soil, pollinator-friendly plants, pet-safe plants.
Border Builder uses Sweetfern's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
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Worth knowing
- It tolerates a shaded, north-facing spot.
- Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- American Spikenardto flower when it does not
- Bunchberryto edge in front
- Canada Mayflowerto edge in front
- Anise Hyssopto flower when it does not
- Bottle Gentianto edge in front
- Brown-Eyed Susanto flower when it does not