Amur Maple vs Sweet Gale - TreeTime.ca

Amur Maple vs Sweet Gale

Acer ginnala

Myrica gale

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

CUSTOM GROW

Amur Maple
Sweet Gale

Amur Maple is an incredibly colorful tree. As summer turns to fall, it's bright green leaves turn fiery red. This tree is perfectly suited for urban environments. It's small size allows you to plant it in city yards and beneath power lines. Amur maple can also tolerate urban pollution, moist to dry conditions and is not affected by soil type or pH.

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.

Amur Maple Quick Facts

Sweet Gale Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 1b
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 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: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright, thicket-forming
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: low


Foliage: glossy
Foliage: dotted with yellow glands, sweet scented
Fall colour: scarlet red
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: reddish-purple, dotted with yellow glands
Seeds: red tinged samaras
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes

In row spacing: 2.4 m (8 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: ginnala maple
Other Names: bog myrtle, meadow-fern, sweet bayberry, sweetgale