Panicle Hydrangea vs Sweet Gale - TreeTime.ca

Panicle Hydrangea vs Sweet Gale

Hydrangea paniculata

Myrica gale

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Panicle Hydrangea
Sweet Gale

Panicle Hydrangea is a large, broad-leaf, deciduous shrub that is prized for its ornamental appeal. It is easy to care for, long-lived, and cold-hardy.

Depending on the variety, its flowers change color throughout the blooming period. Make sure you water Panicle Hydrangeas regularly to achieve the most notable color change.

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.

Panicle Hydrangea Quick Facts

Sweet Gale Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1b
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: 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: medium


Foliage: dotted with yellow glands, sweet scented
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: reddish-purple, dotted with yellow glands
Flowers: white, strong scent, very showy
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: white panicle hydrangea
Other Names: bog myrtle, meadow-fern, sweet bayberry, sweetgale