Species library · Plants & herbs

Foraging Sweet Gale

Myrica gale

Typically in season from January to December in the northern hemisphere. Found in Wetland, Heath & moor. Has toxic lookalikes, so check carefully.

Sweet Gale (Myrica gale)

Photo: (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · iNaturalist

When Sweet Gale is in season

Typical window in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset, and your own timing depends on local weather, so check your town.

→ Everything in season to forage in September

Where it grows

Sweet Gale is usually found in Wetland, Heath & moor.

⚠ Look-alikes & safety

Toxic look-alikes: Alder buckthorn, Grey willow, Common alder. Only forage with a confident ID.

Take Sweet Gale into the field

Open Sweet Gale in the Forage app for its full field guide entry with more photos, key features and toxic lookalikes to check against. Add it to your watchlist and the app pings you the moment it comes into season at your exact spot, worked out from live weather, elevation and billions of occurrence records.

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Sweet Gale: common questions

When is Sweet Gale in season?

Sweet Gale is generally in season from January to December in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather. Check the Season Finder for your own location.

Where does Sweet Gale grow?

Sweet Gale is usually found in Wetland, Heath & moor.

Is Sweet Gale safe to forage?

Toxic look-alikes: Alder buckthorn, Grey willow, Common alder. Only forage with a confident ID. Never eat any wild plant, berry, nut or mushroom unless you are completely certain of the identification. Check every find against a reliable field guide, and when in doubt, don't.

One note before you head out

Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.

Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits