Nova Raspberry vs Sweet Gale - TreeTime.ca

Nova Raspberry vs Sweet Gale

Rubus x Nova

Myrica gale

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Nova Raspberry
Sweet Gale

Taste is the reason people buy the Nova Raspberry.

Nova canes have very few spines. As it has a firmer berry, it is commonly planted for commercial plantings where a harvester is used.

The Nova Raspberry gets its name from where it was bred, in Nova Scotia. It was created to survive and thrive in the varying climates of Canada.

The Nova Raspberry is a fast-growing floricane. This means that raspberries will not grow on canes the year they first grow. The mature canes they do grow on, however, produce more berries than primocane varieties.

Sweet Gale is a native, nitrogen-fixing shrub known for its aromatic foliage. Tiny glands on the leaves release a balmy, bay leaf-like scent with floral and citrus notes. In spring, the yellowish male catkins provide one of the earliest sources of pollen for bees and other insects. While later in the season, the female catkins produce seeds that are eaten by waterfowl. Sweet Gale is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers occur on separate plants.

Sweet Gale thrives in wet, acidic soils and is commonly found along wetlands and lakeshores. It can help stabilize shorelines, while its dense growth provides valuable cover for wildlife. It is well-suited for naturalization, wetland restoration, and erosion control projects.

Nova Raspberry Quick Facts

Sweet Gale Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright, thicket-forming
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: high


Foliage: dotted with yellow glands, sweet scented
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: reddish-purple, dotted with yellow glands
Berries: red, slightly acidic
Firmness: firm
Harvest: mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: bog myrtle, meadow-fern, sweet bayberry, sweetgale