Wispy stamens spray out of five or six pearly white petals, the leaves release scent when rumpled, and the dark berries that follow taste of pepper when dried. Common myrtle (Myrtus communis) is grown for this evergreen, fragrant, edible generosity — give it sun and well-drained soil and it flowers from early summer to mid-autumn.
| Name | Myrtus communis |
|---|---|
| Family | Myrtaceae |
| Type | shrub |
| Height | 10 to 16 feet (3-5 metres) |
| Exposure | rather sunny |
| Soil | well drained |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Flowering | early summer to mid-autumn |
Many find myrtle appealing all year round for its blooming, fragrance and edible pepper-flavored berries.
Myrtle is a plant native to the Mediterranean area. It finds cold weather unbearable, especially over long periods of time.
It’s preferable to plant common myrtle in fall to favor root development and renewed growth in spring.
It is also possible to plant common myrtle in spring provided you diligently water it all summer long for the first year.
Also try planting common myrtle in pots outside: just avoid both below-freezing temperatures and hot weather.
Potted common myrtle is ideal wherever winters are harsh. Pots are easier to move around and bring indoors during winter (greenhouse or unheated lean-in).
In a pot, myrtle will do just fine indoors. Provide it with enough moisture that the leaf tips don’t dry out (brown tips). This will reduce risks of scale and whitefly, too. Don’t place in direct sunlight.
Common myrtle can go straight into the garden, live in a container that travels under cover for winter, or stay indoors all year. The right choice depends mostly on how cold your winters get.
| Situation | Best suited to | Key requirement | Watering |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the ground | Mild gardens with a sunny spot | Rich, well-drained soil in full sun | Water well for the first two years |
| Pot outdoors | Gardens where winters are harsh | A pot that drains, with gravel or clay pebbles at the base | Excess water must flow out freely |
| Pot indoors | Cold climates and year-round display | A bright spot out of direct sunlight | Enough air moisture to stop leaf tips browning |
Pots have the advantage of being easy to move around and bring under cover before the cold sets in.
Myrtle bears incredible amounts of seeds. Each season, new waves of sprouts emerge throughout the garden. Usually, birds spread seeds around when eating the berries.
New plants may come out different from the mother plant because of cross-pollination.
A myrtle plant is quite easily multiplied through cuttings from semi-hardened sprigs. It’s the simplest propagation method.
Prepare your myrtle cuttings in spring or at the end of summer, on soft-wood growth, that is, wood that is not hard yet, nor has grown brown bark, but is in the process of hardening.
Protect your cuttings before winter
Transplant in spring
Read also: understanding the technique for cuttings
Although not pruning at all will suite the shrub fine since it rarely exceeds 16 feet (5 m) tall, you can balance or reduce the breadth of your common myrtle at the beginning of spring. Prune delicately.
To keep a compact appearance, trim the year’s new shoots back to half their length after the blooming.
Increase blooming by often adding liquid organic fertilizer. This is especially true for indoor plants since potted soil quickly loses nutrients.
Myrtus communis isn’t a favorite of many animals, so you will rarely have problems. For example, larger animals such as deer don’t like it. Insects (aphids, spider mite, scale…), if they appear, quickly move on to other hosts.
Myrtle resists diseases well, including honey fungus.
Dwarf common myrtle is great for growing in pots and for hedges both low and medium-high. The name to ask for in garden stores is ‘Compacta’.
Other common myrtle varieties and cultivars include:
Myrtle, together with its “Tarentum” (or “Tarantina”) variety, won the Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society (United Kingdom) in 1993.
Other names for this plant include “Sweet myrtle”, “Nerte” and “Lagui herb”. Common myrtle is often confused with other plants also called myrtle:
Myrtle’s cute summer blooming usually lasts from June to October, releasing a delicate fragrance. Each flower has wispy stamens jutting out from 5-6 pearly white petals (violet, more rarely). Leaves, when rumpled, are also fragrant.
Afterwards, flowers turn into edible dark berries perfect for making liquor, especially in Corsica and Sardinia. They’re also deliciously tart in sauces to pair with poultry and meats (prepare as you would cranberries). They have a pepper-like taste when dried: that’s what flavors some Italian sausages so deliciously!
Common myrtle has health benefits that have long been known, specifically as a tonic and antiseptic. Infusions (leaves) treat wounds and ulcers as well as urinary and digestive disorders. Why all these benefits? It’s a relative of Eucalyptus, and the famous tea tree, too!
You must water regularly in summer but not too much. Water in the evening to reduce evaporation.
