Bog myrtle

Profile

Family

Myricaceae

Habit

Shrub

Height

1.8 m

Spread

3.5 m

Growth

slow

Lifespan

40 years

First yield

after 5 years

Hardiness

zone 2–7

Shade tolerance

partial shade

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

semi-dry – near water

pH

5 – 7.5

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: The aromatic fruits and leaves are used fresh or dried to season soups, stews, and other dishes. Occasionally added to beer and ale to enhance flavor and increase foam formation, the fruit, about 3 mm in diameter, holds a large seed. Dried leaves can be used to prepare a delicate and flavorful tea.

Medicinal: The leaves are abortive, aromatic, astringent, emmenagogic, and stomachic. They are typically used as tea but contain a toxic aromatic oil, so caution is advised when using them.

Other uses: A wax layer on the fruits and leaves is removed by scalding the fruits with boiling water and soaking them for a few minutes. The wax floats to the surface and is then skimmed off. The fruit is then boiled in water to extract the wax from the pulp. The wax is skimmed off again and strained through a muslin cloth. It can be used to make scented candles that emit a delightful fragrance when burned. Unfortunately, this method does not produce enough wax to be commercially viable. A yellow dye can be obtained from the tips of the stems and seeds of the plant. The bark contains tannin and can be harvested in autumn and used as a yellow dye. The plant repels moths and insects in general. The fragrant leaves are also utilized. A strong decoction of the leaves can be used as a parasiticide to kill external body parasites. A fragrant essential oil is extracted from the fruits.

Growing

There are varying opinions on the requirements of this plant. Most reports suggest that it prefers moist soil and thrives in an open position with well-draining soil, in either sunny or lightly shaded areas. It is commonly believed to prefer or even require a lime-free loamy or peaty soil, although one report suggests it can grow in any regular garden soil. In the wild, it is typically found in soils with a pH between 3.5 and 6, occasionally in marshes with a pH of up to 7.5. A spreading shrub that can form thickets in favorable conditions. This species has a symbiotic relationship with specific soil microorganisms that form nodules on the plant's roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. While some of this nitrogen is utilized by the plant itself, a portion can also be accessed by nearby plants. This characteristic enables the plant to thrive in waterlogged soils. Dioecious. Male and female plants need to be grown together for seed production. Occasionally, this plant can be monoecious and may change gender from year to year. Flowers mainly develop on one-year-old wood. All parts of the plant have a pleasant aroma. A valuable food source for the caterpillars of many butterfly species. Plants of this genus exhibit notable resistance to honey fungus.

Propagation

Seeds are best sown in autumn as soon as they are ripe in a cold frame. Sow the seeds lightly and keep them moist. Stored seeds germinate better when subjected to cold stratification for 3 months before sowing in a cold frame. Germination is generally successful. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and let them grow in the cold frame over the first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Take cuttings of semi-ripe shoots, 5 - 8 cm long with a heel, in July/August in a frame. Plant them and overwinter in a cold frame. Success rate is moderate to good. Take cuttings of mature wood in November/December in a frame. Propagate by layering in spring. Divide the runners in the dormant season. Plant them directly in their final position.

Notable

Specialties: prefers acidic soil in coastal, moor/wetland areas. This plant is occasionally monoecious and can change sex from year to year; listed on the Red List; flowers on one-year-old wood; M. pensylvanica is better fruiting+growing and significantly better M. cerifera, which is frost-hardy only from Zone 7 onwards.

Origin & habitat

Western Europe, from Scandinavia to Portugal in the west, extending to northwestern Russia in the east. North America.

Hedgerows and copses.

Related plants