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Bonsai Doer
Join Date: Aug-2001
Location: Fresno, CA
Country: USA
Posts: 5,605
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Species Spotlight: Myrtus communis
Common Myrtle
Myrtus communis or True Myrtle is an evergreen shrub or small tree with dense foliage. The 2-inch lanceolate leaves are strongly scented when crushed. Myrtles have been cultivated for centuries and their native habitat is unknown.
Blooming Time: Summer. The ¾ inch white flowers are sweetly scented.
Culture: Myrtus communis do best in light shade to full sun. We use a soil mix consisting of 1 part peat moss to 2 parts loam to 1 part course sand or perlite. The plant is highly drought tolerant. The soil should be allowed to dry in-between waterings. Tip chlorosis is a problem if the soil does not drain well. Fertilize monthly during the growing season. Trim in early spring to keep a desired form.
Propagation: Myrtus communis are propagated by cuttings of partially ripened wood with a bottom temperature of 70° and by seed in spring.
The true mrytle is a bonsai lovers dream come true. It is a plant that tolerates drought conditions very well. It love and thrives , even prefers free draining soil conditions and loves potted conditions. It has lovely flowers in the summer for long periods of time, and finally finishes the fall with blue/black edible berries. It is an evergreen and the leaves reduce very well. It can be grown in a variety of forms, but prefers an upright form. The bark is that of its cousin the Crepe Mrytle. It has the same beautifully mottled skin on its trunk that shows many colors with an orange color under newly exfoliated bark.
The flowers are a real show in summer, being a creamy white color that look like fireworks exploding on the tree. The tree is a hymaphrodite having both male and female organs. All that is needed for flowers are a nice swarm of bees, which are easy due to the sweet smelling flowers. The leaves bear many medicinal purposes and have been used for centuries by many people of the Mediterranian area.
The plant does exhibit many fine attributes that make it suitable for bonsai. Below are a couple mrytle bonsai for review, as well as a photo of the flowers and leaves.
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