Myrtle

Myrtus communis

Fragrant evergreen; its blue-black berries flavour roast meats and Sardinian mirto.

Type: shrub · berries and small fruit
Hardiness: zones 8 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 10 ft tall, 8 ft wide
Harvest: October to December
From: Mediterranean
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, pollinators.

Native to: Mediterranean, Atlantic islands (Macaronesia). Hardy in zones 8 to 11.

The story

Myrtle was sacred to Aphrodite and worn by Greek brides; Sardinians distil the berries into mirto, Corsicans too, and the leaves flavour roasted meat across the Mediterranean. It is a fragrant evergreen for dry climates.

Planting

Full sun, drained soil, and mild winters; plant in spring, or in a pot where frost is hard. It makes a fine hedge.

Growing

Water the first summer, then little. Clip after flowering. No feeding.

Harvest and use

White flowers in summer, then blue-black berries in autumn: steep in alcohol with sugar for mirto, or dry as a spice. Leaves for roasting.

What to watch for

Frost below about 15°F; otherwise nothing.

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More berries and small fruit

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home