Sweetfern is a low, fragrant shrub of dry, acidic soils that is not actually a fern but a member of the bayberry family. Its deeply lobed, fernlike leaves emit a wonderful sweet-spicy fragrance when crushed. It fixes nitrogen and stabilizes sandy, infertile soils, and its catkins are important food for ruffed grouse.
Best time to see a Sweetfern
The best time to see a Sweetfern is May–August, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 18,325 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Sweetfern? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Sweetfern sightings near you
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