Species · Mediterranean evergreens like olive and myrtle
Myrtle
Myrtus communis

Myrtle carries small, aromatic evergreen leaves that release a distinct scent when bruised, alongside white summer flowers and, occasionally, small dark berries. Moderate growth and a naturally twisting, multi-stemmed habit in age suit informal and literati styling particularly well.
Care at a glance
- Watering
- Let the top few centimetres dry between waterings. Roughly every 2 days in spring, 2 in summer, 3 in autumn and 5 in winter.
- Light
- Full sun, as much as you can give it.
- Winter
- Below that, an unheated shelter. Protect it when the forecast drops below -3 °C.
- Feeding
- Every 21 days, Apr to Sep, paused in the hottest weeks.
- Repotting
- Every 2 to 3 years, as buds swell, in Mar or Apr.
- Growth
- Moderate growth. Hardy in zones 8 to 10.
The work calendar
| Work | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prune | May | Jun | Sep | |||||||||
| Wire | Jan | Feb | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||||||
| Pinch | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |