sweet-gale

Sweet-gale Myrica gale
Family: Myricaceae (Wax-myrtle)
Branching: Alternate

Sweet-gale is a small knee-high shrub found in open wet areas. Like Northern Bayberry (though not as prolific) they also have waxy resin dots on the leaves and stem, and some are visible here in the full-sized images.

Flower buds of Sweet-gale

Leaf buds of Sweet-gale

Dead leaves are often retained at the top of the plant in the winter

A twig with the small fruits

A close-up of the nutlets

The bark of Sweet-gale