Sweet-fern is an upright, deciduous shrub (typically growing 2-4' tall and spreading 4’-8’). A native shrub of eastern North America that most often occurs in poor, sandy or gravelly soil; it is a good shrub for areas with poor soils, such as along alleys, waste areas or roads. The foliage is aromatic and resembles that of a fern, hence the common name of Sweet-fern. It fixes its own nitrogen.
