Myrtus, or myrtle - graceful evergreen shrub from a large myrtle family, growing in the warm countries of the Mediterranean, southern Europe and North Africa.
Since ancient times, the plant has enjoyed great love and honor of people. But the shrub won its popularity not only due to its beauty, but also due to numerous healing properties. It is no coincidence that the name "myrtle" in ancient Greek means "balm" - all its parts exude a pleasant aroma.
Leaves and branches have long been used by people in the perfume industry to obtain essential oil. In cooking, finely chopped fresh or dried leaves are used to add a piquant flavor to dishes. Doctors recommend having myrtle tree to get rid of insomnia and nervous diseases. And the phytoncides contained in the leaves will purify the air in the room and help in the fight against colds.
Myrtle is shrouded in many myths and legends. Written references to it date back to biblical times: the Talmud says that a person who sees a myrtle tree in a dream will soon get rich. The Bible says that the festive decoration of the temples consisted of myrtle branches. Wreaths and bouquets of myrtle were indispensable attributes of Christian holidays.
The Arabs considered it one of the plants of the Garden of Eden - on the day of the expulsion from paradise, Adam managed to carry away a twig, from which the first myrtle tree on earth later grew.
The peoples of the Mediterranean basin revered the shrub as a symbol eternal youth and unfading beauty, considered sacred plant Aphrodite. Entire myrtle groves were planted around temples dedicated to the goddess of love. Wreaths of myrtle branches crowned the heads of the winners and served as an adornment for the bride.
The custom of giving a myrtle tree for a wedding or other celebration also migrated to the northern countries. Weave flowering shoots into wedding decorations young girls was considered lucky omen among the Baltic peoples, as well as in England and the Scandinavian countries. For this, myrtle was carefully grown from a seed if a daughter was born in the family.
Greek and Roman women resorted to the help of the plant, dreaming of preserving the blooming appearance. Ancient women of fashion washed themselves with water infused with myrtle leaves. There is an old Mediterranean legend about the insidious beauty Alcina, who lured men and turned them into myrtle bushes, so that later she could wash herself with fragrant infusion and be famous for her unfading beauty.
as a decorative and garden plant shrub has been known for thousands of years. Myrtle is quite thermophilic and therefore does not tolerate the harsh climate of temperate latitudes. But it can be grown indoors. The plant prefers sunny windows of southern exposure, regular watering, spraying, and during wintering - cool rooms. In the summer it can be put outside. Myrtle perfectly tolerates pruning and lends itself to crown molding.
At good care myrtle in a couple of years will please its owner with delicate white flowers, completely covering the tree in the summer months. Blue-black berries appear on the branches in autumn and give the plant a decorative look.
Myrtle is a plant for those who love peace, comfort and tranquility. Myrtle is an evergreen shrub or tree, belongs to the Myrtle family, which has about a hundred species. Myrtle comes from the Mediterranean, in natural conditions grows in tropical and subtropical climatic zones. In the Crimea, in the Caucasus, on the Black Sea coast, myrtle is grown in open field how ornamental plant. In greenhouse conditions, it grows up to 2 meters, but when grown in a pot, it is modest in size. The leaves of the myrtle are small, glossy, ovoid, arranged oppositely.
The trunk is woody, branches well. Myrtle blooms are small, solitary, fragrant flowers. white color. They appear in the axils of the leaves, towering on a long pedicel. Blooms from early summer. Pollinate indoor myrtle with the help of a brush. In autumn, pollinated plants bear fruit - juicy, spicy dark blue berries appear. Seeds from the fruit can be used for propagation.
Having provided the right plant, myrtle will delight with its decorative effect throughout the year. Unpretentious, can settle with you for a long time. It lends itself well to pruning, which allows you to form a beautiful crown in the form of a pyramid, a ball and other shapes.
Myrtle care at home
Watering
Home myrtle is unpretentious in care. It will take up little space, growing will not be difficult. Ensure timely watering and spraying. The plant loves moisture. During the period active growth- in spring and summer - the soil should be constantly moist. During this period, it is also desirable to spray the leaves of the myrtle daily. Sometimes you can arrange warm shower. Use softened settled water for watering and spraying. Reduce watering when temperatures drop. In no case do not allow the earthen coma to dry out, if this happens, then the myrtle begins to dry and fall off.
Excessive watering is another destructive extreme, fraught with root rot. Avoid stagnant water in the pan and pot.
Lighting
Myrtle likes bright lighting with some straight lines. sun rays, but at midday it is better to shade a little. If the myrtle tree is constantly kept in the shade, even providing all the other care rules, it will not bloom. Drafts of myrtle are not terrible. On the contrary, air currents will better distribute favorable phytoncides.
Temperature
Will do well in cool rooms. Suitable moderate or slightly below moderate air temperature (within 18-23 ° C). To obtain abundant flowering, in winter, provide a cool air temperature within 6-8 ° C. In the absence of such an opportunity, wintering can be carried out in a warmer room, but with more frequent watering and sprays.
Why does the myrtle shed its leaves?
In winter, during work heating systems, the air becomes warm and dry - from this, the leaves of the myrtle may fall off. Do not despair, continue to moderately water the plant and by spring it will be green again. Myrtle, which has undergone a warm winter, most likely will not bloom. In summer, myrtle can be taken out into the open air.
top dressing
For successful growth and good development, indoor myrtle needs to be fed. Once every two weeks, apply organic mineral fertilizers. Feeding is not needed during wintering.
How to prune and shape a myrtle crown
Common myrtle is usually grown in. It tolerates pruning very well. Even if the myrtle does not bloom, the formation of the crown will allow you to grow a beautiful bonsai tree. Do not expose the trunk much, because it is not very durable. Leave as many side shoots as possible. However, if you want the tree to bloom, you should not get carried away with pruning either, otherwise the flower buds will not form.
Cropping myrtle on video:
Transfer
Home myrtle is able to grow for a very long time, it does not need to be renewed every few years, like many other plants, but it is still necessary to transplant. Do this before the start of active growth - in early spring. Young plants will need an additive every year, adults - as needed (every 2-3 years). A suitable substrate would be a mixture of: sod land+ humus soil + peat + sand, mix in proportions 2:1:1:1. Be sure to lay drainage at the bottom of the pot.
Growing myrtle from seeds
It is possible to propagate by cuttings. During seed propagation, varietal characteristics may be lost if the seeds are taken from hybrid bushes. Only fresh seeds germinate well. Rinse the seeds without pericarp in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, dry.
Plant in pots using light soil. The seeding depth is 0.5 cm. Cover with foil or glass to form greenhouse effect. Place in a warm, well-lit place, avoiding direct sunlight.
Air the seedlings regularly, moisten the soil, but do not flood. Expect shoots in 1.5-2 months, with their appearance, the film must be removed. When the seedlings grow up, they dive into separate pots. When reaching a height of 15-20 cm, you need to pinch young shoots, stimulating the growth of new ones. Myrtle grown from seeds will give flowering by the 5th year of life.
Reproduction of myrtle cuttings
It is easier to grow myrtle from stem cuttings. They root very well.
- Cut cuttings in early summer from the top non-flowering shoots.
- It should have 3-4 pairs of leaves.
- Approximately 1 cm of the lower part of the cutting should be immersed in a phytohormone solution and kept for about 2 hours, then rinsed with clean water.
- Plant the cutting in a moist sand-peat mixture, deepen three knots at an angle of 45-50 °.
- Cover with cling film or cut transparent plastic bottle and place in a warm, shady place.
- Ventilate seedlings. New shoots will appear in about a month.
- Then the shelter must be removed and placed in a bright place.
In the future, take care of it like an adult plant. Such a myrtle should bloom in 2-3 years.
Video about cuttings of myrtle:
Diseases and pests of myrtle
Myrtle diseases are caused by proper watering. It is important to constantly keep the ground moist, but avoid stagnant water in the flowerpot itself and the pan. Excessive watering can provoke the onset of root rot, which will spread further and the plant will simply die. Due to dry air and insufficient watering, the foliage may turn yellow and fall off, but moderate watering will renew the plant. Also during this period, spider mites can attack. You recognize their appearance by the presence of cobwebs. Leaves, especially from the underside, should be washed with water or weak solution tobacco, spray with ground sulfur, or apply insecticides (spray outdoors).
When scale insects appear on the plant, it can secrete resin, and the leaves and stems become covered with dark spots. The plant can be treated with a soap and tobacco solution. If scale insects are already clearly visible, soak a swab in vodka or denatured alcohol and remove pests mechanically. Then treat with an insecticide or more sparingly with a soapy solution to completely destroy the larvae.
If the leaves dry up and curl up, most likely, aphids have appeared - small insects of green, black or gray color located at the bottom of the sheet. They reproduce very quickly. Treat immediately special preparations that are sold by flower shops.
Types and varieties of myrtle
Myrtle Myrtus communis
Russian interpretation Latin name- Myrtle Communis - an evergreen tree, reaches a height of 50 cm to a meter in room conditions. The leaves are small, glossy, leathery, oblong, arranged oppositely.
Variegated Myrtle Myrtus Variegata
The foliage is variegated, the edges of the leaves are covered with dots and stripes of amber color. The flowers are miniature, beige-white in color with golden stamens, exude a pleasant aroma. Suitable for growing indoors. This species is revered as a symbol of fertility.
Variety Myrtle Hymen - the name was received in honor of the God of the Marriage Union, people call it the happiness of the bride. We honor it as a symbol of youth and beauty. It is an evergreen shrub reaching natural environment height 3-5 m, in the room - about 1 meter. The leaves are miniature, lanceolate, emerald color. Flowers white with large quantity golden stamens, 1.5-2 cm in diameter. At the end of flowering, blue-black berries are formed, which have an intense pleasant aroma.
It has a powerful antibacterial effect, eliminating pathogenic bacteria, sticks. Helps in the fight against influenza, tonsillitis, sinusitis; in the prevention of treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, prostatitis.
The plant reaches a height of 3-4 m. Tetrahedral stems are covered large leaves(up to 5 cm in length). The leaves are glossy, with pointed edges, arranged oppositely. A five-petalled snow-white flower with symmetrical golden stamens.
Myrtus Alhambra Myrtus Alhambra
An excellent ornamental plant, suitable for growing in the wild and at home. The leaves are compacted, with a high content of essential oils. The flowers are small, white, fragrant. Blooms in late spring. After flowering, white fragrant fruits are formed.
Myrtus Tarentina Myrtus Tarentina
Dwarf form of the common subspecies. Small white flowers cover the plant profusely. The leaves are elongated, reach 1.5 cm, the edges are serrated, pointed, painted in emerald color, attached to short petioles. The plant has a fast growth rate. In nature, it grows about 5 m tall, in room conditions - up to 1 meter.
Lemon Myrtle Myrtus lemon
Exudes a pleasant lemon scent. Native to the tropics of Australia. Widely used in cooking. Used to make essential oils various sauces, dressings, syrups and lemon drinks. Dry leaves are used as a seasoning.
Small-leaved myrtle Myrtus communis microphylla
The small-leaved form of the common myrtle captivates with its unique elegance with many small, densely planted dense leaves, completely covering the crown of the tree. Along with abundant flowering, it turns the myrtle tree into holiday decoration any room.
How to prepare a tincture of myrtle leaves?
Doing it yourself is pretty easy. Take a liter jar, put about 100 g of leaves there and pour 500 g of 60-70% alcohol or vodka. For two weeks, you need to infuse the mixture in dark place. It is advisable to shake the jar daily. Then filter the infusion. For the prevention of diseases 30 minutes before meals, you need to take 20 drops of infusion 3 times a day.
You can benefit from a plant simply by placing it in a room: it will purify the air from various viruses and microbes. It is not recommended to put myrtle in the bedroom. You will surely enjoy the aroma exuded by the tree. Myrtle is ideal for both home and office.
Myrtle is a symbol of strong, prosperous, friendly family. It will be a great gift for newlyweds and families with experience.
Legends, beliefs about myrtle, its medicinal and other useful properties
An ancient legend says that myrtle was brought from Paradise by Adam. The ancient Greeks considered myrtle sacred. Myrtle was also revered by the Romans, Egyptians, and Jews. Myrtle was considered the ability to restore youth to aging facial skin, and he gave travelers strength and vigor. For Catholics, myrtle is the personification of the spirit of the Virgin Mary, so the peoples Northern Europe consider it a talisman for women. With the birth of a daughter, a myrtle tree was grown, and at her wedding, sprigs of myrtle were used to decorate a veil, a bride's outfit, and a wedding bouquet. That is why myrtle is sometimes called the bride tree.
Myrtle means "balm" in translation from Greek. Its flowers and leathery leaves exude phytoncides - useful material that can not only protect the plant from diseases, but also purify the air around it, relieve fatigue, and create a positive attitude.
Myrtle essential oil is widely used in medicine and perfumery. Myrtle tincture is rubbed on the face, which refreshes the skin better than any lotion. Myrtle tincture or a decoction of the bark and leaves is used in the treatment of diseases of the throat and respiratory tract, diseases of the genitourinary system and gastrointestinal tract, various suppurations and poorly healing wounds are treated.
In ancient times, the fruits of myrtle were infused in wine, considering it a good tonic, a real elixir of health.
Be careful with folk remedies treatment, be sure to consult your doctor. With caution, treatment with myrtle should be used for the elderly and pregnant women.
Dried fruits and leaves are used as a spice. When roasting, smoking, grilling meat or fish, adding a sprig of myrtle will give them a special flavor. Remove leaves after cooking. By the way, clove spice is a product of one of the types of myrtle tree.
Myrtle in Greek means "balm".
This pretty tree belongs to the myrtle family.
It grows well in Africa in the north, Asia, Caribbean Islands, in Florida.
The leaves of this plant are dark green in color with barely visible veins, which are visible only in the light due to their density and leathery. In shape - oblong with pointed edges. Myrtle leaves contain aromatic substances and essential oils.
The plant blooms white and pink. The flowers themselves are fragrant. The fruits are black berries that can be eaten.
Care is not very easy, but not too complicated, as it might seem at first glance.
flower value
Myrtle is an amazing plant.
Therapeutic effect
The pot should not be too large. You need to focus on the volume of the myrtle crown, the capacity should be chosen less than twice as much as it. Drainage must be placed at the bottom.
The desire to immediately plant a plant in big pot- big mistake. The plant is simply not strong enough. A tree at the age of three years should sit in a pot with a diameter of 12 cm.
reproduction
cuttings
To propagate a plant for the first time, you should wait for winter, better than January.
The second time reproduction takes place in the spring or in July.
Flowers after such reproduction will appear for 3-4 years of myrtle life.
Reproduction by seeds
Seeds are sown on the surface of the soil and sprinkled with a small layer of the substrate. It is important to create a greenhouse effect.
To do this, the container is covered with a film or glass. The temperature in the room should be between 18 and 20 degrees. Mandatory conditions are seed aeration and soil moisture.
Usually shoots appear after 2 weeks. Transplanting into small pots begins with the appearance of a full pair of leaves. Care for young plants is similar to adults.
Flowering after propagation of myrtle by seeds appears after 5 years.
Trimming and shaping
What exactly is pruning? This is an opportunity to give the plant the desired shape.
As a rule, the procedure is carried out in the spring. You can increase the density of the crown by pinching young shoots and this can be done at any time.
Pruning and pinching can take a long time. As soon as the pot was brought home from the store, the issue with the shape of the plant should be immediately resolved.
If a shrub is preferred, then the tree should be cut at the top. By removing the sides, you can get splendor.
If you do nothing at all, then the shape eventually becomes like a pyramid. However, this will not affect flowering in any way. But frequent cutting and pinching can reduce the number of flowers.
The uniqueness of the myrtle is that there is the possibility of changing its shape.
This tree is defragmentable. But the main thing is not to get carried away with this process.
A young plant has an immature trunk and it will be difficult for it, for example, to keep a lush crown cap on itself. It makes sense to wait a bit and give the myrtle a chance to get stronger.
Diseases and pests
Dry air harms the tree and it can be affected spider mite. It destroys the lower part of the leaves of the flower and envelops it with white cobwebs.
For the fight, spraying and rubbing the leaves with water or tobacco infusion, only very weak, is used. Suitable for destruction spider mite general purpose insecticides.
Often the flower eats aphid. You can notice it on bottom side leaflet. Aphids eat plant sap. This is what causes the leaves to curl and dry out.
You can get rid of this scourge with insecticidal agents.
If the stems and leaves of myrtle began to become covered with dark spots, then it happened scab infestation, which has already grown widely.
You can remove the scale insect with a swab dipped in water, and then be sure to spray the plant with either an insecticide or a solution of soap.
myrtle tree- A great wedding gift for the bride. Myrtle has long been considered the tree of happiness and love. There are about a hundred varieties of myrtle in the world, and this plant comes from subtropical climate Mediterranean. There it is customary to give the bride a houseplant myrtle, shaped like a spherical tree, for the wedding. It is believed that it brings happiness. The bride should break off a sprig of myrtle and put it under the pillow so that further family life was cloudless. Myrtle is considered a family tree - if it is in the house, then wealth, prosperity and health will also settle in it. The tradition to consider the myrtle tree as a symbol of love and fidelity arose in the Renaissance.
Care.
However, myrtle is not a very domestic plant, it likes to grow on fresh air. Therefore, for good health at home in winter, the myrtle tree needs a period of rest. If this is not possible, then at least you need to place the myrtle on a cold windowsill, protecting the radiators from the heat. In this case, with sufficient lighting in the summer, you can count on the abundant flowering of myrtle. Myrtle blooms with medium-sized, modest, white flowers, of which there are many on a tree, and a very beautiful picture is obtained. Myrtle care is easy. First, you need to form a tree by cutting young shoots, giving it any desired shape. You need to feed myrtle from March to August with complex 
fertilizer for indoor plants. The myrtle tree likes a good watering, otherwise it may shed its leaves. The leaves are small and fragrant, contain eucalyptol and mertinol.
Myrtle tree as medicine.
In addition to its decorative function, the myrtle tree has many medicinal properties. It can be used to treat diseases respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract. You can also use myrtle for culinary purposes: a crushed myrtle leaf exudes a pleasant spicy smell characteristic of Mediterranean herbs - in the aroma you can feel the echoes of the smell of basil, rosemary, noble laurel. It is very convenient for these purposes to keep a myrtle tree in the kitchen in order to be able to add a little myrtle green to ready-made dishes.
After flowering, fruits (small blue berries) are formed, which can be used both for propagating myrtle and for food, as a useful medicinal supplement. Alcoholic tinctures are made on myrtle fruits. These infusions are used for bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, diphtheria, sinusitis, diseases of the heart, blood, throat, bones and brain, and are used to prevent stomach diseases. It is believed that myrtle is more effective than some antibiotics. The myrtle tree releases phytoncides into the air that kill pathogenic bacteria.
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From the ancient Greeks cult of myrtle passed on to the ancient Romans, who annually arranging festivities in April in honor of Venus, the goddess love and beauty, crowned their heads wreaths of myrtle. And since on the day of the wedding myrtle wreaths dressed on the heads of the newlyweds, she also acquired a special name in Rome - marriage myrtle.
Erato, muse of erotic poetry, wore myrtle wreath. The head of God was also decorated with the same wreath. marriage- Hymenaeus, who was always depicted as a charming young man with a lit torch in his hand. However, on the altar of the patroness of women - the Good Goddess, during whose service no man should have been present, lay myrtle was strictly prohibited because plant this, according to the Romans, was a reminder of sensual pleasure, of which Cupid and Venus were representatives. It was believed that she myrtle has an exciting beginning, as a result of which it was supposedly even dedicated to these deities.
For the same reason, the Roman girlfriends of fun - getters crowned on April 2, on the day of the celebration of the spring holiday of Venus-Ericina, a statue of her myrtle and roses, begging her to grant them the art of attracting.
Noble Roman women did not miss this month either. Bathed in April myrtle trees and decorating themselves with their branches, they went to make a sacrifice to Venus, begging her to keep them longer youth and beauty.
In addition to cosmetic use, myrtle in ancient world also had some medical significance. So, the wine infusion of the mentioned fruits was considered an elixir of health and vigor, they were usually treated in the hope of restoring strength and restoring health to wounded soldiers. In addition, the young, unblown still aromatic buds of her colors were used by the ancients in a special preparation as a means of reinforcing the stomach.
Myrtle in public life in Rome
The Temple of Venus-Ericina in Rome was located inside the circus, not far from the Aventine Hill and was surrounded by myrtle bushes and trees, as a result of which this Venus even bore the name " Myrtii". Her other nickname was Venus cloacina - Venus the purifier, since it was believed that myrtle has a purifying power, and therefore, when the struggle for the abduction of the Sabine women ended, the Romans and Sabines, laying down their weapons, cleansed themselves by smoking from lighted myrtle branches.
But myrtle among the Romans, it had not only the meaning of a talisman crowning the beauty, but also played an important role in public life.
Romulus, as you know, after raising him to a deity, received the name Quirinus - from the Sabine word "quirinus" - a spear (in figurative meaning- warrior), and a temple was erected for him. But over time, this temple turned into ruins and remained in this form until 306 BC. e., when finally the consul Lunius Papirius Cursor restored it. Then the first in Rome were placed on it sundial, and in front of them are planted two myrtle tree, of which one was supposed to depict patricians, and the other - plebeians.
Planted near such a highly venerated temple, trees these became sacred to the Romans. They began to see in them something inspired, divine, and firmly believed that they could always be used to judge the preponderance of one or another party. “If,” they said, “the patricians prevail over the plebeians, then their wood grows luxuriously, and the plebeian tree languishes, and if the plebeians win, then they wood grows, and the patrician perishes." To what extent their faith was confirmed, we do not know, but they say that they followed their development with superstitious fear and trembling.
Played a significant role myrtle and in Roman triumphs. The Romans crowned heroes with a wreath woven from it for civil valor or for a war without shedding blood. This wreath was called "corona ovalis", from the word ovus - a sheep, since when laying it, a sheep was usually sacrificed to the gods.
Myrtle - decoration of European brides
How wedding decoration myrtle was used much earlier than the 17th century. Yes, on veils brides XV and XVI centuries, on which comical inscriptions were usually made and which are stored in ancient surnames as a precious heritage of ancestors, one can see woven inscriptions surrounded by wreaths of myrtle. Moreover, there is even a legend that the first to wear myrtle wreath at the wedding in 1583, was the daughter of Jacob Fugger, a famous medieval millionaire. Therefore, approximately this year should be considered the beginning of the custom to decorate myrtle wreaths brides in Germany.
However, the general use myrtle as wedding flower happened much later, and the introduction of this custom went, apparently, from the bottom up, since from trading people, which Fugger was, he moved first to noble, and then to princely families.
However, how rare this use was, even in the 18th century, is already clear from the fact that when in 1760 the daughter of the city foreman of the city of Halberstadt had on her head on her wedding day a small myrtle wreath. Then it was already considered something special, noble and aristocratic.
As for the question of how this custom originated in Germany, then, apparently, it passed here from Greece and from the East, since it appeared primarily in the cities of Nuremberg and Augsburg, which, as is known, had close relations with these countries.
At the English court, this wedding custom was introduced by Queen Victoria, who personally planted in her Osborne Gardens tiny myrtle branch taken from wedding bouquet his daughter. This branch was accepted, and when it grew in a tree, Victoria never missed an opportunity not to put at least one branch torn from her into the wedding bouquet of her daughters and granddaughters.
Myrtle - the tree of happiness
big amateur myrtle was also the famous French dramatic actress Rachel. Still, being a poor Jewish girl and living in attic Temple Street in Paris, she carefully looked after, as she writes in her notes, for a little myrtle which, as it seemed to her, was supposed to bring her happiness. And happiness really smiled at her: from an unknown little actress, she became a world celebrity. But even being already surrounded by a halo of glory, she continued to love and cherish it. plant, large bushes and even whose trees always adorned all the rooms of her luxurious premises and especially her boudoir.
Myrtle has been cultivated for about 400 years and during this time numerous forms have been bred - with terry flowers, bordered and variegated leaves. High decorative qualities , volatile properties essential oils emitted by the leaves, unpretentiousness make it possible today to recommend this plant for decoration of both residential and public premises. Shoots with dense beautiful foliage can be used for cutting as decorative greenery which not only decorates bouquet, but also gives it nice smell.
As you can see, unique, healing and fragrant plant has long been noticed by people. Today essential oil extracted from the bark and leaves tree, finds wide application in medicine and perfumery.
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