Location specific values:
Array
(
    [lat] => 29.668900
    [lng] => -95.048400
    [elevation] => 6
    [rainfall] => 1273.884
    [cold_temperature] => 6.846
    [temperature] => 33.1591
    [user_eto] => 1328.66912824
)

Plant specific values:
Array
(
    [rain_min_irrigation] => 1321
    [eto_corrected] => 663
    [eto_adjusted_rain_min (rain_min_irrigation / eto_corrected)] => 1.33634992
)
Sweetgale (Myrica gale) | Easyscape Plant Profile

Sweetgale

(Myrica gale)

Sweetgale (Myrica gale)

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Estimated Native Range
Species Map Help

Climate Requirements for La Porte, Texas

This Plant Your Site Plant Suitability for Your Location
• Precipitation 8" - 438" 50" Aquatic Aquatic
• High Temp. 33°F - 94°F 92°F Your summer temperatures are normal for this plant. Excellent
• Low Temp. -27°F - 61°F 44°F Your winter temperatures are normal for this plant Excellent
This plant should grow well at your location with about N inches per year (Y minutes per month) of irrigation.

Summary

Myrica gale, commonly known as Sweetgale, is a deciduous shrub. It is native to peat bogs, wetlands, and the edges of ponds and streams in Europe, Canada, Alaska, and the Northeastern USA. Sweetgale typically grows to 1–2 meters tall and has a rounded, dense form. The leaves are spirally arranged, simple, 2–5 cm long, oblanceolate with a tapered base and broader tip, and have a crinkled or finely toothed margin. The flowers are catkins, with male and female catkins on separate plants (dioecious), appearing before the leaves in early spring. The fruit is a small drupe that provides food for wildlife. Sweetgale is valued for its fragrant foliage and stems, which release a pleasant aroma when crushed.

Sweetgale is used for its ornamental value in water gardens and naturalized areas. It is also planted for erosion control along waterways. In cultivation, it requires full sun to part shade, consistent moisture, and prefers acidic, peaty soils with medium to slow drainage. While generally low-maintenance, it can suffer from leaf spot diseases and may spread aggressively in ideal conditions. Sweetgale has been used traditionally for its medicinal properties and in the flavoring of beer and other beverages before the use of hops became widespread.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

  • Plant Type: Shrub
  • Height: 4-6 feet
  • Width: 4-6 feet
  • Growth Rate: Moderate
  • Flower Color: N/A
  • Flowering Season: Spring
  • Leaf Retention: Deciduous, Semi-deciduous

Growth Requirements

  • Sun: Full Sun
  • Water: Medium
  • Drainage: Medium, Slow

Common Uses

Bank Stabilization, Deer Resistant, Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Fragrant, Low Maintenance, Rabbit Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Water Garden

Natural Habitat

native to peat bogs, wetlands, and the edges of ponds and streams in Europe, Canada, Alaska, and the Northeastern USA

Other Names

Common Names: Bog-Myrtle , Sweet Willow , Dutch Myrtle , Meadow-Fern , Meadow Fern , Sweet Gale , Mose-Pors , Pors , Gagelstrauch , Gagel

Scientific Names: Myrica gale , Gale gale , Gale belgica , Gale palustris var. crenata , Gale palustris var. denticulata , Gale palustris var. lusitanica , Gale palustris var. tomentosa , Myrica algarbiensis , Myrica gale f. pubescens , Myrica rothmaleriana

GBIF Accepted Name: Myrica gale L.