Sweetfern Plant Info What Are Sweetfern Plants

Sweetfern Plant Info Sweetfern is a family of shrubs and small trees measuring 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m.). This cold-tolerant plant thrives in chilly temps of USDA plant hardiness zone 2 to 5, but suffers in warmer climates above zone 6.

1. Is Sweetfern edible?
2. Where does sweet fern grow?
3. Is sweet fern invasive?
4. What does sweet fern look like?
5. What is sweet fern good for?
6. How do you harvest sweet ferns?
7. How do you use sweet fern for poison ivy?
8. Do deer eat sweet ferns?
9. What does sweet fern smell like?

Is Sweetfern edible?

Edible parts of Sweet Fern:

The young fruits are eaten as a pleasant nibble. The aromatic leaves, fresh or dried, are used to make a palatable tea. The leaves are also used as a seasoning.

Where does sweet fern grow?

Sweet Fern grows well in sandy soils, from well-drained dry sites to the edges of marshes.

Is sweet fern invasive?

Sweet fern's ornamental interest includes nutlets and male catkins. More and more ornamental landscape plants are being found to exhibit invasive tendencies. Some of these species have been lost from the nursery trade due to legislative bans or the desire among the gardening public to use fewer invasive plants.

What does sweet fern look like?

A small, aromatic mound-shaped shrub, 2-4 ft. tall, occuring in dense colonies. Multiple stems with loose, spreading branches. Long, narrow, olive-green leaves, the edges of which have rolled back edges and rounded, fern-like division.

What is sweet fern good for?

Sweet fern was employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes who used it especially as a poultice to treat a variety of complaints[257]. It is still used for most of the same purposes in modern herbalism. The leaves are astringent, blood purifier, expectorant and tonic[21, 62, 222, 257].

How do you harvest sweet ferns?

It grows best in dry soil so you will tend to find it growing right along side blueberries and service berries. The autumn is the best time to harvest Sweet Fern as the leaves have dried on the plant and are easily picked. Just grasp the stem gently and drag your grip up the stem pulling the leaves off.

How do you use sweet fern for poison ivy?

This natural recipe is based on the use of sweet fern. Poison ivy relief is very easy to use – simply boil the leaves in a quart of water for approx. 20 minutes or until it looks quite dark (enjoy the aroma). Strain off the leaves and let it cool.

Do deer eat sweet ferns?

Sweetfern foliage is (largely) deer-resistant. While it deserves a place in our edible gardens, sweetfern is also useful for pure foliage appeal. When happy, the plant propagates by underground runners, forming new shrubs that are clones of itself.

What does sweet fern smell like?

The “sweet“ part of its common name refers to the smell given off by crushing the leaves. To me, it smells like it's in the bayberry family, spicy and sweet. Others describe it as a turpentine-like smell – not so sweet a description, but the odor does have some of that resinous resonance.