Sweet Fern

Mature Height: Up to around 24 inches

Planting Distance: 3.0 feet

Plant Type: Subshrub, Shrub

Root Depth: 14 inches

Growth Form: Rhizomatous

Growth Rate: Slow

Flower Color: White

Conspicuous Flowers: No

Bloom Time: Spring

Seasonal Growth: Summer

Evergreen: No

Fall Colors: No

Shade Tolerance: Intermediate

Clay Soil Tolerance: No

Sandy Soil Tolerance: Yes

Drought Tolerance: High

Flood Tolerance: None

Fire Tolerance: High

Salt Tolerance: Low

Pollinators: Larval Host (Butterfly); Larval Host (Moth); Wind

Larval Species depending on Sweet Fern: Acrobasis betulella, Acrobasis comptoniella, Acrobasis rubrifasciella, Acronicta lanceolaria, Agonopterix atrodorsella, Agonopterix walsinghamella, Archips argyrospila, Aroga argutiola, Aroga trialbamaculella, Automeris io io, Biston betularia cognataria, Bucculatrix paroptila, Caloptilia asplenifoliatella, Catocala antinympha, Catocala badia, Catocala coelebs, Cepphis armataria, Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria, Cleora sublunaria, Clepsis persicana, Coleophora comptoniella, Coleophora peregrinaevorella, Coleophora persimplexella, Coleophora serratella, Cyclophora pendulinaria, Dichomeris bipunctella, Dolba hyloeus, Euchlaena effecta, Euchlaena irraria, Eufidonia discospilata, Gypsonoma fasciolana, Hypomecis buchholzaria, Iridopsis larvaria, Lacinipolia lorea, Lymantria dispar, Melanchra assimilis, Mesothea incertata, Mesothea incertata incertata, Nemoria mimosaria, Nemoria rubrifrontaria, Olethreutes appendiceum, Olethreutes electrofuscum, Olethreutes glaciana, Orthotaenia undulana, Parornix peregrinaella, Phyllonorycter comptoniella, Polia purpurissata, Prochoerodes transversata, Protolampra brunneicollis, Pyrrhia exprimens, Rheumaptera hastata, Sphinx gordius, Sphinx poecila, Strepsicrates smithiana, Strymon melinus, Synchlora aerata, Tetracis cachexiata, Xanthotype urticaria, Xestia c-nigrum, Xestia normanianus