Day 271: Comptonia peregrina is a woody shrub native to the eastern portion of the country. Its common name of "sweetfern" is descriptive of the fragrant foliage which some feel is fern-like. Its natural growth habit is more leggy than it appears in this photo. I keep mine pruned into a relatively compact shape, so the deciduous foliage is actually quite dense. Removal of suckers keeps it from spreading out of bounds. In mid-summer, it produces soft-spined burrs, each of which contains 2-4 seeds. I have not had any success at propagating it from seed, but have managed to start rootstock cuttings.
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