Sweet Fern (Comptonia peregrina)

Commonly called Sweet Fern, this upright, deciduous shrub, grows 2-4' tall. Features simple, narrow, lustrous, feathery dark green fern-like leaves, but is not actually a fern. A native shrub of eastern North America which most often occurs in poor, sandy or gravelly, infertile soils, such as along roadsides. Fixes its own nitrogen. The young fruits are eaten raw. The aromatic leaves, fresh or dried, are used to make teas and seasonings. Long history of use medicinally among First Nations people and colonists. An important larval host plant for a wide variety of moths including the Io moth, and several sphinx moth species. It is also a host plant for the Anise Swallowtail and Grey Hairstreak Butterfly. For unknown reasons the Grey Hairstreak is restricted to feeding on Sweet Fern in the northern limits of its range.