Sweet gale, Bog Myrtle, Scotch gale
Myrica gale

Family: Myricaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It forms thickets, develops suckers and loses its leaves. It grows 1.5 m high and spreads 1.5 m wide. The branches are upright. The leaves are sword shaped and have teeth along the edge. They are 6 cm long. The male flowers are in yellow-brown catkins. They are 1.5 cm long. The fruit are round and yellow-brown. They are 3 mm across.

There are about 50 Myrica species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in bogs and swamps. It can grow in acid soils. In Sikkim it grows up to 1,725 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 3-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, Estonia, Europe, France, Germany, Himalayas, India, Ireland, Japan (country/location of origin), North America, Northeastern India, Norway, Scandinavia, Siberia (country/location of origin), Sikkim, Spain, Sweden, USA

How it is used for food

The leaves are used as a pot herb. They are bitter tasting. They can be used to flavour soups, stews and meats. They have also been used to flavour beer and increase foaming. The dried fruit are used to make tea. Caution: The plant should not be used by pregnant women.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit, spice, leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Ezo yamamomo, Kaphal, Pors, Porss, Yachi yanagi

Synonyms

Gale belgica Dumort.; Gale commune J. Presl; Gale palustris Chev.; and others