Species Sweet Gale

Sweet Gale

Myrica gale

Also Known As - sweet gale
Sweet Gale (Myrica gale) is an evergreen shrub native to cool, moist areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is highly aromatic, with leathery, glossy green foliage and small yellow-green flowers. In winter, the foliage turns a deep purple-red color. Sweet Gale has been used medicinally for centuries and is an important ingredient in many traditional herbal remedies. It has a powerful, lemony-pine scent that is often used in perfumes and flea repellents. Sweet Gale can be planted in damp soils and is known to be quite hardy. It is a popular choice for wet marshy areas and can quickly spread and become prolific in its growth.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Frequent

Propagation:

Seed Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

2

Flowers:

Showy, Green-yellow, Brown Flowers In Spring

Sun:

Full sun Partial sun

Soil:

Sandy,Loamy,Clay

Cones:

Yes

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

High

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Invasive:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Sweet Gale plants need to be watered every 7-10 days depending on the particular season, location, and soil type. During the spring and summer, when the plants are actively growing, they should be watered more often, usually every 7 days if soil is dry. During the fall, they should only be watered when the soil is dry, usually every 10 days. It is important not to over-water your sweet gale plants, as they are susceptible to root rot. When watering, the soil should be moistened evenly, so that the plant is getting an even amount of water throughout the root system.

sunlight

Sweet Gale (Myrica gale) is a medium to fast-growing, semi-evergreen to evergreen shrub. Ideally, Sweet Gale requires full sunlight exposure to reach its maximum potential in terms of growth, flowering, fruit production, and overall plant health. It does best in a location that enjoys full sun for at least 6 to 8 hours per day; the more sunlight, the better for Sweet Gale. If there is shade, it should be dappled or morning sun for optimal growth. If your Sweet Gale does not have enough light, its growth will slow down and it may become sparse, with fewer flowers and fruit.

pruning

Sweet Gale (Myrica gale) typically requires very little pruning, as it is generally a fairly low maintenance shrub. However, if you need to contain or shape the plant, pruning can be done in late winter or early spring, just before new growth begins. Prune as much as needed, but avoid shearing off too much; as with many varieties of evergreens, too much pruning may cause the plant to become sparse.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Sweet Gale typically starts flowering in April.

Hardiness Map