Myrica gale L. var. subglabra (A. Chev) Fernald
Myrica gale L. var. subarctica J. Rousseau
Myrica gale L. var. tomentosa C. DC.
Myrica gale L.
Sweet gale, bog myrtle, sweetgale
Myrica gale is a shrub native to northern and western Europe and parts of North America. This shrub is usually found in peat bogs, and at the edges of ponds and streams. Its roots contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria, allowing the plant to survive in low-nutrient environments.
Plants: Bushy shrubs reaching 2–4′ (60–121 cm) in size. They have a distinctive sweet resinous scent, which once served as an insect repellant for tent-dwelling hikers.
Leaves: Leaves spiral around the branches. Each leaf is dark-green to grayish, smooth-edged, glossy, ⅜–3 ⨉ ⅛–1″ (1–8 cm ⨉ 4–28 mm), oblanceolate. Leaf undersides are paler, with fine hairs.
Flowers: Flowers are inconspicuous catkins, appearing from Mar-May. The species is dioecious: male and female flowers appear on separate plants.
Fruits: Fruits resemble the flowers in size, but they are nutlets, like small cones.
Habitats: Acidic peat bogs, where growth is possible because the roots have nitrogen-fixing actinobacteria.
Online References:
Gale palustris A. Chev.
Myrica gale L. var. subglabra (A. Chev) Fernald
Myrica gale L. var. subarctica J. Rousseau
Myrica gale L. var. tomentosa C. DC.
Myrica gale L. var. subglabra (A. Chev) Fernald
Myrica gale L. var. subarctica J. Rousseau
Myrica gale L. var. tomentosa C. DC.
9/20/2009 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm) 
5/3/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm) 
8/27/2010 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 17 × 12″ (44 × 29 cm) 
9/20/2009 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm) 
9/20/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm) 
5/3/2014 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
9/28/2013 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm) 
9/20/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm) 
9/28/2013 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 10 × 7″ (25 × 16 cm) 
5/18/2025 · Center Point Preserve, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 6″ (9.6 × 14 cm) 
5/18/2025 · Center Point Preserve, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) 
5/18/2025 · Center Point Preserve, Bowdoinham, Maine · ≈ 7 × 5″ (17 × 13 cm) 
9/20/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Fagales | Birch, she-oak, beech, walnut, bayberry, others |
| Family | Myricaceae | Bayberry (sweet gale) family |
| Genus | Myrica | From the Greek μυρικη (myrike), “fragrance” |
| Species | gale | Etymology unknown, related to Old English gagel |
Myrica gale description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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