THE BIOLOGY OF CANADIAN WEEDS: 16. Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult.

Abstract

Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult., sweet-fern (Myricaceae), is a weed of pastures, Jack-pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) stands, and lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. and V. myrtilloides Michx.) fields of Eastern Canada. It is particularly prevalent on light sandy gleysolic and luvisolic soils from Nova Scotia in the east to the Ontario–Manitoba border in the central portion of Canada. The pruning of shoots by cutting or burning merely stimulates growth of dormant buds on the rhizome. Reproduction is also by seeds that are produced on bur-like inflorescences. Fortunately, this species is quite susceptible to several herbicides such as 2,4–D, dicamba and picloram.