maackia, what's your soil like? I've considered using sweetfern here on a dry sandy/gravelly site, but my impression is that it has a preference for sandy soil with a relatively low pH, and the site I have in mind is definitely not acidic.

I killed some in my too rich, alkaline soil. It is great with chicken and turkey.

tj

It is great with chicken and turkey?? I didn't expect that! Is it a garnish?

Soils are not in my wheelhouse, Dave, but we do have acid sand here. The conifer compatriot to Comptonia is Pinus banksiana, if that tells you anything. ;)

Is there a another northern hardy shrub with fragrant foliage? I know I've already alluded to this, but you don't have to crush it to enjoy it.

“Is it a garnish?”

No, it is a spice. Kinda like sage. Cut a few leaves off and throw them in a paper bag and forget about them for a few weeks and use the crushed leaves. Use sparingly so as to not overpower. Can be used as a tea, but I never tried it that way.

tj