Katherine Havemeyer Lilac vs Sweet Gale

Katherine Havemeyer Lilac is a cold hardy French lilac known for its highly fragrant, double flowers. The buds start as a lavender-purple and give way to soft pink blooms that have double the number of petals compared to other Lilacs. The flowers bloom in late spring and can last up to 3-4 weeks.

The Katherine Havemeyer lilac, like other lilacs, is deer-resistant. The flowers are known for attracting hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators to your landscape.

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.

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