MYRTUS communis

Typical evergreen shrub with a large and thick habit, above all diffused in the Mediterranean maquis. It has a slow growth and, over time, it can reach 3 metres both in height and width. Leaves are deeply aromatic, leathery, opposite, lance-shaped and with entire margins; they have a glossy dark-green upper page and a matt pale-green lower one. Between the end of spring and the start of summer, the plant fills of fragrant and small white flowers which arise from the axil of leaves located in the terminal parts of branches. In autumn, flowers are followed by fruits characterized by helical and glabrous blue-blackish berries usually used to prepare liqueurs, which persist till january. There are different varieties: Myrtus communis "Variegata" with a typical cream-colored streak on the leaf; Myrtus communis "Microphylla" with smaller leaves and a thicker aspect; Myrtus communis "tarentina" of smaller size and with round and smaller leaves, Myrtus communis tarentina "Variegata" similar to the tarentina subspecies, only different for the white streaks in the foliage; Myrtus "Luma" with elliptical and bigger leaves.

It needs a sunny or semi shaded position. In low light conditions it will be anyway ok but its blooming would be poorer or even absent. It can be suitable to any kind of soil, but it prefers the ones which are sandy, stony, poor in nutrients and above all well drained: it doesn't tolerate in fact water stagnations which could kill the plant in a short time. On the contrary, it tolerates salt and drought so it is ideal for coastal gardens. It tolerates also frosts if they are not intense and prolonged. In autumn, you can prune it, thus giving this plant a more ordered shape, a thicker crown and a richer next blooming. It is suitable to pots or big containers, it can be used in the garden as single specimen, together with other Mediterranean aromatic essences or to realize borders or thick dividing hedges.