Sweetfern structures spaces with its unique shrubby fern-like appearance and releases an enchanting aromatic fragrance at the slightest touch. This ultra-hardy native subshrub effectively colonizes the poorest soils and degraded slopes thanks to its unique ability to fix nitrogen from the air. Adopt it to sustainably green difficult areas while enjoying its textured foliage that turns from soft green to orange and coppery hues at the first cold of autumn.

Characteristics

• Foliage : Deciduous, alternate, long, and narrowly cut leaves, strangely resembling fern fronds. They display a textured dark green in summer before taking on rich amber and russet tones in autumn.
• Flowering / Fruiting / Stems : Discreet catkins in spring followed by small round fruits, hidden in an involucre of chiseled bracts. The brownish stems exude a very fragrant essential oil when crushed.
• Light : Will perform best in full sun or partial shade.
• Habit : Bushy, spreading, and low, forming a dense ground cover over time thanks to its creeping rhizomes.
• Growth : Medium growth rate, reaching a maximum height of about 90 cm and a spread of up to 120 cm.
• Soil : Flexibly adapts to acidic, sandy, gravelly, and dry soils. Absolutely avoid heavy or poorly drained soils.
• Temperature : Excellent hardiness, effortlessly resisting down to zone 2.
• Resistances : Tolerates established drought, salt spray, infertile soils, and demonstrates superb immunity to common diseases.

Use

• Types of use : Ideal for stabilizing slopes, greening a rock garden, bordering a sparse undergrowth, or covering ungrateful areas in the ground.
• Decorative advantages : Brings an incomparable fine and wild texture to the garden. Its woody scent repels mosquitoes near living areas and its autumnal color change enlivens the landscape.

Care

• Watering: Water regularly during the first year after planting. Once the root system is well established, let the soil dry completely between waterings, as it tolerates drought superbly.
• Fertilization : Avoid any fertilizer input. This native plant enriches the soil itself by fixing atmospheric nitrogen.
• Pruning : Lightly prune in early spring to remove dead wood or to densify the habit if necessary, although it naturally maintains a beautiful silhouette.
• Planting : Allow a spacing of 90 to 120 cm to allow it to spread freely without suffocating neighboring plants.