Common myrtle

Common myrtle: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Dense, upright shrub; usually 1–1.5 m in a pot, up to 2 m tall and 1.5 m wide outdoors against a wall.

Leaves

Opposite, oval to lance-shaped, 2–5 cm, glossy dark green, dotted with tiny translucent oil glands.

Flower

White, about 2 cm across, with five petals and a tuft of long stamens; sweetly scented, in July–August.

Fruit

Round, blue-black berries about 1 cm across, ripening in late autumn.

Scent

Leaves and flowers smell fresh and spicy, a little like eucalyptus and citrus.

Flowering: July–August · Harvest and fruit: May–September and November–December · Plants: April–May · Pruning: April

Why grow it?

• Green all year, with glossy, aromatic leaves that release their scent as you brush past.
• Fragrant white flowers in July and August, busy with bees.
• Blue-black berries in autumn as an extra ornament.
• Easy to clip into shape: as a ball, a cone or a standard.
• An atmospheric Mediterranean container plant for a sunny patio.

Common myrtle: where does it grow best?

• Full sun and warmth, for example on a sunny patio or in front of a south-facing wall.
• Free-draining sandy or loamy soil, or potting compost with some grit; acid, neutral and chalky are all fine.
• Dry to moist: no wet feet, but in a pot never let it dry out completely either.
• In open ground only against a sheltered south-facing wall, preferably near the coast or in a town.
• Choose a pot with a drainage hole, only just larger than the root ball.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

2 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -10 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Olive: Grey leaves beside the glossy green; another container plant to overwinter frost-free.
• Bay laurel: Another evergreen Mediterranean shrub that can be clipped into shape.
• Rosemary: Aromatic and drought tolerant, for the same sunny spot.
• African lily: Blue globes of flowers in summer, lovely next to the white myrtle flowers.
• Lavender: Purple spikes and silvery leaves in a Mediterranean group of pots.

Common myrtle: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant or repot in April–May; only put it outside after mid-May, once night frosts are over.
2. Choose a pot one size larger than the last, with a drainage hole and a layer of grit at the bottom.
3. Use good potting compost mixed with one fifth coarse sand or grit.
4. Set the plant at the same depth as before and firm the compost well.
5. Water thoroughly straight away and let the excess drain off.
6. In open ground: plant against a south-facing wall in a generous hole with grit, allowing 1–1.5 m of space.

Care

Watering

Regularly in summer, as soon as the top few centimetres are dry. Never let the root ball dry out completely and do not leave water in the saucer.

Feeding

From April to August, liquid feed for container plants every two weeks. Stop from September.

Repotting

Every 2–3 years in spring, into a slightly larger pot. For older plants in a large tub, just replace the top layer of compost.

Moving out

After mid-May to a sunny spot; let it acclimatise in partial shade for the first few days so the leaves do not scorch.

Mulching

In open ground, a layer of gravel or compost around the base protects the roots.

Tip: Never let the root ball of a potted myrtle dry out completely, not even in winter: it will drop its leaves within days. Overwinter it cool and bright rather than warm in the living room.

Common myrtle: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April.

When: In April, before new growth starts, give it a light shaping trim.

How:

• Shorten overlong or straggly shoots to just above a pair of leaves.
• Thin out the inside of the shrub a little if it gets too dense, to let in light and air.
• For a ball or standard, trim the outside with small shears or scissors.
• Remove frosted or dead shoots back to healthy wood.

Caution: Hard pruning or clipping in summer costs flowers: you remove the shoots that were about to bloom.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August: 8–10 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots, lower leaves removed, in moist cutting compost under plastic in a warm place. Roots form after 6–8 weeks.

Seed

In spring, clean the seed from ripe berries and sow indoors at 18–20 °C. Germination is slow and seedlings take several years to flower.

Common myrtle: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −10 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• An established plant can briefly take about −10 °C, but only in a dry, sheltered spot. A severe Belgian winter outdoors is risky.
• In a pot: bring it in before the first hard frost, to a bright, cool place at 5–10 °C, such as a cold greenhouse, a conservatory or a light garage.
• Water sparingly in winter, but never let the root ball dry out completely.
• In open ground: in hard frost, drape horticultural fleece over the shrub and mulch the base.

Diseases and pests

• Leaf drop: The leaves suddenly fall when the root ball has dried out or when it overwinters too warm and too dark. Water in good time and overwinter cool and bright.
• Scale insects: Brown scales on stems and leaf veins, and sticky leaves. Mainly in winter quarters. Wipe them off with a soft brush or a cloth.
• Red spider mite: Dull, finely speckled leaves in dry, warm air. Move the plant somewhere cooler and mist the leaves now and then.
• Root rot: Yellow leaves and a wet, sour smell from the pot. Use a pot with a drainage hole and do not leave water in the saucer.

Through the year

• January: Overwinter bright and cool. Water sparingly. Watch for scale insects.
• March: Repot if needed.
• April: Light shaping trim. Start feeding.
• May: Move outside after mid-May. Plant against a south-facing wall.
• June: Water and feed regularly.
• July: Flowering. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• August: Flowering. Water in dry spells. Last feed.
• September: Stop feeding.
• October: Bring in before the first hard frost. The berries colour up.
• November: Overwinter bright and cool. The berries ripen.
• December: Water sparingly, but do not let the root ball dry out.

Edible and useful

Leaves (May–September)

The evergreen, glossy leaves smell of eucalyptus, juniper and citrus. Pick a sprig all year round to roast with lamb, pork or poultry, or to lay on the barbecue; the aroma is strongest from May to September.

Berries (November–December)

After a warm summer, bluish-black berries ripen in November and December. Spicy and slightly resinous, they are the basis of the myrtle liqueur mirto in Sardinia and Corsica. In our climate, potted plants overwintered indoors set berries most easily.

Storing

Sprigs stay fresh for a week in the fridge, or can be dried. Ripe berries can be frozen until you have enough for a liqueur.

Caution: Leaves and berries are safe in kitchen amounts; never swallow the essential oil. Myrtle tolerates only a few degrees of frost: keep it in a pot and overwinter it somewhere cool and light indoors.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Myrtle liqueur (mirto) (Liqueur · ± 750 ml · 15 min + 6 weeks steeping)
• Leg of lamb with myrtle and garlic (Dish · 6 people · 2 hrs)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• In ancient Greece and Rome, myrtle was sacred to Aphrodite and Venus, the goddesses of love. It was therefore often used in bridal wreaths.
• Since the 19th century, a sprig of myrtle has been included in the wedding bouquets of the British royal family.
• In Sardinia and Corsica, the berries are used to make a dark liqueur called mirto.