Common myrtle

Common myrtle: how big does it get?

Common myrtle (Myrtus communis) grows as a Shrub and reaches roughly 4.5 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 3 m. Growth is medium.

Common myrtle: what site does it need?

Common myrtle tolerates full sun. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – moist. The pH may lie between 6 and 8.

Common myrtle: is it hardy?

Common myrtle is listed as hardy in zone 8–11 and survives normal winters outdoors there.

Common myrtle: will it grow in Central Europe?

Common myrtle is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify. It also needs warm summers – in Central Europe that means wine-growing regions, cities or a sheltered south-facing wall.

Common myrtle: is it poisonous?

No toxicity is recorded for Common myrtle. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.

Common myrtle: what is it used for?

Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 6/10, Medicinal 6/10, Other uses 7/10.