Sweet Gale

Myrica gale
  • Description: Aromatic deciduous shrub up to 1.5m tall. Stems are slender and dark red; leaves are lance-shaped and dotted with wax glands. Flowers take the form of catkins.
  • Habitat: Lake shorelines and wetlands.
  • Harvest: Mature leaves in summer and fall.
  • Edibility: The leaves are wonderful in tea.
  • Fun Fact: Sweet gale can fix nitrogen into the soil through its association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that form nodules in its roots. This allows it to thrive in nutrient-poor environments, like bogs and fens.

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