Look for sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) during your outdoor adventures. But don't look for a fern, as this plant is deciduous shrub that grows about three feet high. Its common name refers to its fern-like leaves - they resemble the pinnules of ferns.

Sweetfern is very adaptable, tolerating poor and acidic soil, drought, and high wind. So, you'll find it not only along woodland edges but also along trails on powerline right-of-ways, among rocky outcrops, and in areas where other plants cannot take hold. 

It is always worth giving sweetfern a light greeting "handshake" to catch a whiff of its most relaxing aroma. Gently grasp a handful of leaves at their base, slide your hand up and away from the plant, then sniff your palm with a long deep breath. Ah... it is a scent that instantly improves any day! Look for it year round. During the winter you may find some browned leaves still clinging to their stems. Crush a few between your fingers and sniff... it will bring back memories of summer. 

Activities for Children and the Young at Heart

1. Go on an aroma hike. Try sniffing all the plants you meet and compare their scents. What scents do you prefer? Are they sweet or earthy or spicy? Can you smell aromas better on a cool or hot day? Or a dry or humid day? Why do you think this is? How does your nose compare in sniffing ability to other animals? How about a dog's nose? Consider attending the Search & Rescue Dog Demonstration on August 26 at Bradbury Mt. State Park to learn more about the sniffing ability of dogs.
2. View photos of sweetfern (aka: sweet fern) on this University of Maine Cooperative extension page.
3. When you find a sweetfern to sniff compare how it smells to you with others. Do you like the scent? Why or why not? GoBotony's page describes the scent as a "turpentine-like aroma". Do you agree or disagree?