woodland fern
Sweetfern
Comptonia peregrina
1 of 2Native to much of the USA and southern Canada
Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan, south to Georgia, Kentucky, northern Illinois and northern Minnesota
- Light Partial shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry Moisture preference
- Zones 3–8 Cold to heat range
- Bloom May–Aug Flowering time
- Height up to 5 ft to 1.5 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland fern for partial shade and lean, dry soil. At up to 5 ft, it needs room in shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 3–8.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
Pollinators & wildlife
- Beetles Asian Lady Beetle also Oriental Beetle, Brassy Ball Leaf Beetle
- Butterflies Incisalia irioides
- Bees Eastern Carpenter Bee
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Eastern pine elfinnectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (25): CT, DC, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV. Canada (4): NB, NS, ON, PE. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan, south to Georgia, Kentucky, northern Illinois and northern MinnesotaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Partial shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3–8 · Canadian 2–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Sandy, acid soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 4.0–7.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- LowHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- LowHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- LowHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- LowHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 5 ft (to 1.5 m)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~3 ft (1 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- SlowA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 14+ in (36+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- FernWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- May–AugWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- White, GreenThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Required (cold, moist)Whether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Bare root, container, cuttingsHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.0 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- NoneHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- LowHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- ModerateWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.