# bog myrtle (*Myrica gale*)

Bog myrtle is a lovely green shrub that grows in wet places like marshes. It has small, fragrant leaves that can smell sweet and spicy, making it special in nature!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 4
- **Habitat:** Wetlands
- **Also known as:** Myrtle, Sweet gale

![bog myrtle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gagelstrauch%28Myrica_gale%29female.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Hajotthu, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gagelstrauch%28Myrica_gale%29female.JPG)

## Appearance

The bog myrtle is a bushy deciduous shrub with slender, reddish-brown stems and narrow, grey-green leaves. Its tiny, yellowish-brown flowers appear as distinct catkins before the leaves emerge in early spring. It often forms dense, aromatic thickets.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Fagales
- **Family:** Myricaceae
- **Genus:** Myrica

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Viking warriors used bog myrtle to keep bugs off!
- Before hops, bog myrtle gave beer its bubbly, bitter taste!
- Its leaves create a bright yellow dye for clothes and wool!
- This plant can grow in bogs where almost nothing else survives!

## Special abilities

- **Nutrient Magnet:** Bog myrtle has special helpers in its roots that grab nutrients from tough, watery soils, helping it grow strong where others can't.
- **Scent Shield:** Bog myrtle's leaves are packed with fragrant oils that naturally shoo away biting insects, protecting itself and anyone nearby.
- **Brewing Buddy:** This plant's leaves were historically used to give beer a unique flavor before hops were common, making it an ancient 'spice' rack.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 50-150 cm
- **Spread:** 50-150 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Early spring (March-April)
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Frankia bacteria (*Frankia alni*) — fixes nitrogen in its root nodules
- **Eaten by:** [Roe Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — browses on its leaves and young shoots
- **Shelter:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — provides nesting cover in wet habitats

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always explore plants with an adult and don't touch anything you don't know.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify bog myrtle?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is bog myrtle?

50-150 cm

### How wide does bog myrtle spread?

50-150 cm

### How big are the flowers on bog myrtle?

1-3 cm

### When does bog myrtle bloom?

Early spring (March-April)

### Is bog myrtle edible?

Yes

### Is bog myrtle toxic?

None

### What is bog myrtle's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/long-island-aquarium-and-exhibition-center-new-york) — New York, US · Zoo
- [Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/long-island-aquarium-and-exhibition-center) — New York, US · Aquarium
- [Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sabbathday-lake-shaker-village) — Maine, US · Neighborhood
- [Thendara](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/thendara) — New York, US · Neighborhood
- [Naturpark Schwalm-Nette](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-schwalm-nette) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Park

[View all places to see bog myrtle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bog-myrtle)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Bog Myrtle: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bog-myrtle)