Sweetgale

$15.97

Sweet Gale is native to Ontario, and the entire north of the globe, including both North America and Eurasia.

The aromatic fruits and leaves are used either fresh or dried to flavour soups, stews. They are sometimes put in beer and ale to improve the flavour and increase foaming. The fruit is about 3mm in diameter with a single large seed. The dried leaves make a delicate and palatable tea. The tea has been used by indigenous peoples of North America to assist with lucid dreaming. 

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Description

Sweet Gale is native to Ontario, and the entire north of the globe, including both North America and Eurasia.

The aromatic fruits and leaves are used either fresh or dried to flavour soups, stews. They are sometimes put in beer and ale to improve the flavour and increase foaming. The fruit is about 3mm in diameter with a single large seed. The dried leaves make a delicate and palatable tea. The tea has been used by indigenous peoples of North America to assist with lucid dreaming. 

The leaves are abortifacient, aromatic, astringent, emmenagogue and stomachic. The leaves are normally used as a tea, but they do contain a poisonous aromatic oil, so some caution is advised in their use.

A wax covering on the fruit and leaves is extracted by scalding the fruit with boiling water and immersing them for a few minutes, the wax floats to the surface and is then skimmed off. The fruit is then boiled in water to extract the wax from the pulp and once more the wax is skimmed off. It is then strained through a muslin cloth and can be used to make aromatic candles. These candles diffuse a delightful odour when burnt. Unfortunately this species does not produce enough wax to make it commercially viable. A yellow dye is obtained from the stem tips. Brown according to another report. A yellow dye is obtained from the seeds. The bark contains tannin and can be gathered in the autumn and used as a yellow dye. The plant repels moths and insects in general. The fragrant leaves are used. A strong decoction of the leaves can be used as a parasiticide to kill external body parasites. A fragrant essential oil is obtained from the fruits. Nitrogen Fixer.

Latin Name: Myrica gale
Site and Soil: Found in Ontario mostly in the wild in wet, swampy, marshy areas. Reports of it growing in very acidic, and very alkaline soils, in wet as well as well-drained soil indicates that it appears to be quite flexible. Full sun or partial shade is recommended.
Pollination Requirements: For usage of leaves as tea, only one plant is required. For viable seed for planting, individual plants have male or female flowers, and at least one of each is required, with more leading to more genetic diversity.
Hardiness: Zone 2-9
Size at Maturity: 2-6 ft. in height
Bloom Time: Spring
Pests & Diseases: None known.

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