Myrtus Myrtle from the family Myrtaceae
"Myrtle, the 'Herb of Love', is an excellent culinary herb:
the leaves and the late autumn berries give a delicious spicy flavour
to stews and soups. " Jekka McVicar
Myrtle is a direct descendant of the Greek myrtos, 'the herb of love'.
This herb is dedicated to the goddess Venus, and was planted all around her temples. Traditionally, brides carry a sprig of myrtle in their bouquets
as a symbol of love and constancy.
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Myrtle has fragrant white flowers in summer |
A half-hardy evergreen shrub, Myrtle can grow up to a height of 3m and spread 2-3m.Myrtle as fragrant white flowers from spring to midsummer, each with a dense cluster of golden stamens, followed by dark, purple-black fruits. Myrtle leaves are oval, dark green and aromatic. |
Leaves can be added to pork for the final 10 minutes of roasting, or to lamb when barbecuing.
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Dark blue berries appear in late autumn
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The berries, once dried, can be ground and used, like juniper,
as a spice for game and venison. |
Propagation:
Cuttings: Take softwood cuttings in spring, semihardwood cuttings in summer. As these are tender plants, it is best to grow them on in pots for the first two years at least.
If you live in an area where the winter temperatures fall continuously below 0°C (32°F), or for variegated varieties 5°C (41°F), it would be better to leave them in their pots for the winter. Use a standard seed compost mixed in equal parts with composted fine bark.
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Garden cultivation: This lovely, tender, aromatic shrub will grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Where your winters are borderline, plant against a warm, sheltered wall to restrict the amount of water it receives from rain, and protect it from the winds.
If a frost is forecast, cover the plant lightly with horticultural fleece, available from all good garden centres.
Trim back growth (where possible) to maintain shape in mid-spring after the frosts have finished.
Container Growing: Myrtle, when young, is well suited to containers. |
Variegated Myrtle Tarentina...
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.... in flower
Dried, ground Myrtle berries can be added
as a spice to game dishes
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| Use a soil-based compost mixed in equal parts with composted fine bark. As an evergreen plant, it looks attractive all year round. Place in a cold conservatory, away from central heating. Water in the summer months, and allow the compost to nearly dry out in the winter. Watch the watering at all times; if in doubt, give it less rather than more. Feed with a liquid fertilizer during the flowering period. |
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Pick fresh leaves throughout the year; harvest fresh flowers as required in the summer; pick berries in late autumn.
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Maintenance: Feed Myrtle in spring with well-rotted compost. Feed container-grown plants weekly during the growing season. Overfed Myrtle will not flower. In Mediterranean climates, trim myrtle in autumn. In colder climates, trim in spring. In autumn and winter, protect from frosts.
Harvesting: Pick leaves throughout the year, but for maximum sweetness and scent pick them when myrtle is in flower. They can be used dried or fresh. Preserve the leaves in bottles of oil or vinegar for use in cooking. Pick flowers for drying just as they open.
Myrtle leaves can be added to pork for the final ten minutes of roasting |
Uses
Culinary: Add myrtle leaves and berries to soups and stews.Myrtle leaves can also be added to pork for the final ten minutes of roasting, or to lamb when barbecuing.They have a spicy flavour.
In rural areas of Italy and Sardinia, cooking is flavoured with the smoke of burning myrtle wood. Add myrtle leaves to the glowing coals of a barbecue to obtain a similar effect.
After drying, the berries can be ground and used like juniper as a spice for game and venison. |
Medicinal: The leaves have astringent and antiseptic properties. Rarely used medicinally , but a leaf decoction may be applied exernally to bruises and haemorrhoids. Recent research has revealed a substance in myrtle that has an antibiotic action.
Other Uses: Every part of this shrub is highly aromatic, and therefore can be used dried in potpourris. |
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