Myrtle flower: planting, growing and care at home (25+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews

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Irina Borodina 06/01/2020

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The myrtle tree, originally from the Mediterranean, fell into the ranks of indoor plants not by chance. It not only decorates the room, but gives it a special style, fitting perfectly into the interior of modern apartments.

Can be cut, standard ones are found in the shape of a ball, cube, or cone. It can be grown as a shrub or tree.

And the myrtle bonsai looks exotic. The leaves contain essential oils that purify the air.

Features of growing a myrtle tree are in our article.

Description of the plant and its brief characteristics

myrtle tree

The genus Myrtus belongs to the Myrtaceae family and includes about 100 small trees and evergreen shrubs, which in natural conditions grow up to 3 m. They reach the same size in greenhouses and winter gardens, but indoor myrtle or common myrtle (Myrtus communis) is small and compact, its maximum size is a meter.

The myrtle tree is characterized by special features:

• life form – evergreen woody shrub;
• the stem is covered with red-brown, peeling bark;
• leaves are leathery and shiny, arranged oppositely on short petioles;
• their shape is oval or lanceolate;
• blooms in early summer;
• myrtle flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, white or pale pink, arranged solitary;
• the stamens are longer than the petals, making the flowering tree look fluffy;
• starting to bloom, they emit a delicate aroma and the tree simply smells fragrant;
• The round fruits and berries the size of a pea are edible; up to 15 seeds ripen in them.

The plant belongs to the spices and essential oil crops. It is cultivated in open ground in most countries of Western Europe, India, Ethiopia, and Somalia. In Russia it grows in the coastal zone of Crimea and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Common myrtle has a small distribution area in our country due to low winter hardiness. The spicy plant can withstand short-term frosts down to -12C.

The genus gets its name from the Greek word “myron”, which means “balm”. This is due to the spicy aroma of the plant. Their myrtle groves surrounded the temples of the goddess of beauty Venus, as they were considered symbols of youth and beauty.

Origin and appearance of the myrtle tree

The Mediterranean region is considered to be the birthplace of myrtle (Myrtus). It belongs to the Myrtaceae family.

Its wild varieties grow in Italy, France, Spain, Greece, and North Africa. The plant can be found in the countries of the American continent, Australia, Asia, and the Azores.

Myrtle tree grown in bonsai style

The plant is a representative of the flora of slow development - annual growth does not exceed 15 cm.

In the wild, this tree is up to 5 meters high. Myrtle as a house flower usually grows up to 60 cm, less often reaching 1 meter in height.

Myrtle is an evergreen plant with entire, opposite leaves of emerald color with small veins containing essential oil with a wonderful aroma.

White flowers, collected in short racemes of inflorescences, can form bunches or grow solitary.

In place of the flowers, round fruits appear in the fall, usually dark blue in color. Sometimes the fruits are yellowish and whitish tones. Inside there are irregularly shaped seeds from which you can grow a new tree.

The tenderness of the flower causes amazement

A small flower with five snow-white petals and golden stamens has an incredible aroma.

Home care

Delicate, fragrant flowering continues all summer

Knowing how to care for myrtle, you can grow a healthy and fragrant tree. But not everyone gets to see the bloom.

The capricious plant becomes like a flower bouquet under ideal growing conditions. Caring for Myrtus communis requires a certain approach and has its own subtleties and nuances.

Illumination

Myrtle tree - light-loving plant

At home, myrtle grows in diffused, bright light, but not in direct sunlight. This is a light-loving plant, for which western and eastern window sills are an ideal option. In the summer, the pot with myrtle is moved to a bright area and, if necessary, shading is created.

The spicy crop is extremely sensitive to light, so experienced gardeners move it to corners of the apartment with optimal lighting. In winter they move it to a south window, and in summer they keep the plant on a loggia or balcony and let it “get some fresh air.”

You can move the myrtle tree, but only if necessary. If you change its location frequently, the plant can lose its leaves. It gets used to its permanent “place of residence” and changing it is stressful for the capricious home culture.

Temperature

The optimal air temperature in summer is +18-20°C

The Mediterranean climate had its influence on the common myrtle, which has a genetic love for moderate temperatures and coolness. The summer temperature range is +18-+20C. Midday heat is the enemy of myrtle.

In winter, it is advisable to maintain no more than +6-+8C, so that in summer the plant will delight you with lush flowering.

The spice tree needs a period of rest, when it accumulates strength for subsequent growth and flowering. For wintering, myrtle is placed in a cool room for 3 months (for example, on a closed loggia). During this period, the spicy crop rarely needs watering; it is not fed or sprayed.

If you leave it warm, in standard apartment conditions, the resting period will be reduced to 1.5 months. In warm and dry conditions, myrtle sheds its leaves and does not bloom. With regular ventilation and drafts, the same troubles occur.

If it is not possible to move the plant to a cold room for the winter, then it is necessary to increase watering and spray it more often with a spray bottle. But this does not guarantee full growth and flowering in the summer.

Watering and moistening

Drying leaves of home myrtle

Indoor myrtle is a moisture-loving plant. Abundant watering in spring and summer is a prerequisite for growth. The earthen clod should not be allowed to dry out: the tree has an extremely negative attitude towards this, its leaves fall off and its branches dry out.

When overwatered, the roots rot. For irrigation use warm, settled water. In winter, their number is reduced.

A “moist cloud” needs to be created around Myrtus communis. For this it is recommended:

• periodic spraying;
• using a humidifier;
• placement on a tray with damp pebbles or moss;
• washing the leaves in a warm shower.

In a critical situation, when the earthen ball dries out too much, the pot of myrtle is immersed in a container of water for several minutes. The earth will be saturated with moisture, and the plant will gradually recover.

Composition of soil and fertilizing

High-moor peat is the basis of the soil mixture for the myrtle tree

The following composition of the earthen mixture is suitable for myrtle:

• turf soil - 1 part;
• humus – 1 part;
• peat and sand - 1 part each.

The same components include universal soil, which is purchased at garden centers. The plant prefers slightly acidic or neutral soil composition, which should be taken into account when planting.

In the spring-summer period, fertilizing is carried out twice a week. Use purchased complex fertilizers for indoor plants. The spice crop is watered with a solution diluted according to the instructions.

If you want to see flowering, then fertilize with complex compounds for flowering plants, which contain more potassium and phosphorus. If a bush without flowers is quite satisfactory, then use mixtures for decorative foliage forms, which contain more nitrogen. In winter, during the dormant period, the plant is not fed.

Planting and transplanting

Young plants are replanted annually, adults - once every 4-5 years

Common myrtle can be bought at a garden center (the range of varieties is small). After a week's quarantine, transplant into another, larger pot. The container is selected for 5 years, after which another transshipment will be required. The plant develops slowly: growth per year is 0.2 m.

It is imperative to have drainage holes and a drainage layer of pebbles or expanded clay so that moisture does not stagnate when watering. The new “green pet” is transferred into a container along with a lump of earth without disturbing the root system. The voids are filled with fresh soil and watered. The plant is sprayed with Epin or Zircon (growth stimulants) to increase stress resistance. Shade it for a while so that the bush takes root.

If the bush is small, then it is replanted annually, increasing the diameter of the new pot by 2 cm. Remove the top layer of soil from an adult plant and add fresh soil.

Once every 4-5 years, myrtle is transplanted into fresh soil. When planting, the roots are covered with soil up to the root collar, which remains on the surface.

Do not use too large pot volumes. At the same time, the evergreen plant actively forms a root system. The optimal size option is half the size of the tree crown.

Why do myrtle leaves fall off?

Myrtus is very sensitive to environmental factors. Sometimes it happens that a myrtle tree loses its leaves. This phenomenon may be influenced by certain factors or a combination of them.

• Drying of the earthen coma.
• We moved the pot to a new place.
• A newly purchased plant stays in the same soil for a long time. It is advisable to transplant newly acquired trees into fresh soil, since there is a high probability that the previous substrate has already been depleted.
• Stress after an inaccurate transplant.
• High ambient temperature.
• Warm wintering.

However, it happens that the reset occurs for an unexplained reason. But the bush will grow leaves again - Epin helps the tree turn green again.

Trimming Features

Myrtle tolerates pruning well, so it can be given the desired shape

Caring for common myrtle includes pruning. It is not necessary to carry it out: the tree is able to grow on its own and form a natural pyramidal crown.

But if you need to give the plant a certain shape, then you should work according to the rules:

1. Semi-lignified shoots are pruned in early spring or after flowering.
2. To create a tree, shorten the side shoots
3. To obtain a bush, trim the branches from above
4. The bush is formed in the form of a cube, ball, pyramid
5. You can shorten the stems and roots, select special containers and create a bonsai (“plant in miniature”)

Frequent pinching and pruning give the plant a beautiful, unusual appearance (crown formation), but the chances of seeing a beautifully flowering myrtle are reduced to zero. The choice is up to the owner: if flowering is preferred, then pruning should be minimal or not done at all.

Pruning and crown formation

It sounds intimidating, but in fact, shaping myrtle is easier than it seems: it is a very flexible shrub. It is enough to simply trim with scissors or pluck leaves that, as you think, disturb the appearance of the plant and make it untidy and unattractive.

Don't be afraid of pruning: it only stimulates more intensive growth of a denser crown.

When is the best time to prune: after flowering, best in mid-spring.

Myrtle bonsai

Formally, this is, of course, not a bonsai. A bonsai is a tree that was supposed to grow large (pine, oak, ash...), but was grown in a certain way, essentially with constant suppression of the root system in such a way that it grew miniature.

However, myrtle can be shaped so that it looks like a bonsai, that is, like a small tree. To do this, you need to constantly pluck the lower leaves to form a trunk, and then maintain the correct shape of the crown. If the trunk is not thick enough to look like a tree, you need to cut off the top - this will stimulate the thickening of the trunk.

In order to direct the branches in the desired direction, for a more complex bonsai shape, wire is used: you need to wrap the branch with it, giving it the desired direction.

Reproduction methods

The mini-greenhouse creates high humidity, which promotes rooting

Myrtle propagates by cuttings. This method is used in floriculture because it is convenient and preserves the varietal characteristics of the plant. It is carried out in late spring or early summer.

The step-by-step process looks like this:

1. A green annual green or woody cutting 12-15 cm long is cut from an adult specimen. The foliage is removed from its lower part, and the leaves from the upper part are cut in half
2. The base is treated with a root formation stimulator (Kornevin or Heteroauxin powder). The cut area on the bush is sprinkled with ash or charcoal powder to avoid microbes getting into the wound.
3. Prepare a container with drainage holes in advance by pouring a mixture of sand and peat into it
4. The cutting is placed in the substrate, deepening it by ¼ part
5. Create a greenhouse effect by covering the container with a plastic container or bag. The sprout is constantly moistened, and the microgreenhouse is ventilated
6. Place in a warm and dark place. It is important to shade the cuttings, and then within a month the young shoots will take root
7. They are planted in a mixture of deciduous soil, vermicompost and perlite, using a pot with a diameter of 7 cm. After a year, the grown plant needs to be transplanted into another pot, 2 cm larger than the previous one.
8. They pinch the top, then side shoots appear in the axils of the leaves and the bush becomes spreading

By the way, roots will also appear if the shoot is simply placed in water, which should be changed periodically. The root system develops within a month and a half. Myrtle grown from cuttings blooms in 2-3 years.

Information about care, replanting, cuttings of myrtle is presented in the video:

MYRTLE: transplantation, cuttings, care

Myrtle flower: planting, growing and care at home (25+ Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Myrtle can also be propagated using seeds. But flower growers rarely practice it, since the process is long and labor-intensive. For germination, a period of stratification (rest) is important, after which the seeds awaken to life.

How does myrtle bloom?

If all of the above conditions are met, you can expect that cute white or pink ball-buds will appear on the branches of an adult plant every year, which will subsequently bloom into five-petaled star-shaped inflorescences with numerous rays-stamens. In most varieties they are white or pink, and in shape and size they are very similar to cherry or apple flowers. There are also terry varieties that delight the eye with lush “chestnut” tassels.

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The standard time for myrtle to bloom is from late spring to mid-summer. In a favorable climate, it can last for 2 months. During this period, the plant should be well illuminated by the sun and be in the fresh air. It is also useful to sometimes loosen the soil in the pot and under no circumstances allow it to dry out. A tight container helps speed up the budding process - this way the tree stops devoting all its energy to root growth and becomes more decorative.

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What ails a plant: survival problems

The photo of myrtle shows that the plant is not doing well

Pests feel at ease in the dense foliage of the common myrtle. More often they attack old trees. The dry indoor microclimate is favorable for the development of “parasites”.

Home myrtle will grow healthy if you follow all the care rules. But from time to time the Mediterranean plant has problems:

1. Pest attack. The plant is affected by thrips, aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and spider mites. Against this “scourge” there are a lot of infusions based on natural remedies. As a last resort, use insecticides or acaricides (against ticks), observing the necessary safety precautions
2. Blackening of foliage. Associated with excessive watering and stagnation of water. It is necessary to reduce the frequency of watering, loosen the soil or replace it with fresh
3. Yellowing of leaves. Indicates a lack of moisture. Increasing watering and spraying foliage will solve the problem
4. The leaves curl and fall off. The problem occurs in winter due to excessively dry air. In the spring the tree will gradually recover
5. The foliage becomes sticky. This is a sign that sooty fungus has appeared on it from scale insect pests. The plant is treated with a suitable insecticide
6. The stems are stretched, the foliage turns pale. A clear sign of lack of light. House myrtle is moved to a western window or a place with diffused, bright light is selected.
7. The bush is drying up. This indicates overdrying of the earthen coma and a dry microclimate in the room. It is necessary to increase the frequency of watering, spray the plant, place a tray with wet moss or pebbles under the pot

Creating a bonsai from myrtle is a special approach, creativity and art

Most often, flower growers are faced with the problem of falling foliage. There are plenty of reasons for such “behavior” in the common myrtle:

• temperature too high;
• poor water quality;
• drafts;
• lack of light;
• rare watering;
• frequent watering.

You need to approach the problem individually and check which rules of care have been violated. If the myrtle has dropped its leaves, then the shoots are cut to half, the plant is placed in diffused light, carefully (every 2-3 days) watered, and sprayed. With comfortable maintenance, the bush will “dress” with new foliage in 2 weeks.

Watering and moistening

Myrtles love moisture. This leads to the fact that even during the heating season the plant is not allowed to dry out more than the top two centimeters of soil. In summer, they do not wait for drying, abundantly supplying the flower with moisture, the remainder of which must be drained from the tray.

In addition to watering the soil, spraying will be beneficial for myrtle. This is especially important when, in the warm season, the pot with the plant is taken out onto the balcony or terrace .

Advice! If you inadvertently forgot to water your myrtle, causing it to dry out, briefly put the pot in water so that moisture passes through its lower holes to the roots of the flower.

In addition to watering the soil, spraying will be beneficial for myrtle.

Varieties of common myrtle

A number of indoor varieties have been created based on the common myrtle.

One species is grown in pots - common myrtle. On its basis, varieties have been created that differ in size, shape and color of the leaf blade, density of the bush, color of the berries and fruits, color of the flowers, and their shape.

The most famous varieties:

• Alhambra - a dense, bushy bush with white fruits;
• Flora Pleno - interesting with double flowers;
• Variegata - variegated leaves increase decorativeness;
• La Clape - grows quickly and produces large, dark blue berries;
• La Clape Blanc - similar to the previous variety with white berries;
• Leucocarpa - not much different from traditional varieties;
• Mycrophylla – dwarf small-leaved form;
• Tarentina - a dense, dense bush covered with small foliage, characterized by abundant flowering;
• Tarentina Granada - standard, with white berries;
• Tarentina Variegata - distinguished by variegated foliage.

An interesting variety of myrtle called Boetica. The bush grows slowly, forms large, up to 6-7 cm in length, elongated, pointed leaves. The cinnamon-colored trunk can curl into unusual shapes. It blooms with white flowers, the berries are black, slightly oblong.

Lemon myrtle

On the flower market of our country, small-leaved myrtle is most often found; amateur flower growers grow large-leaved forms and variegated varieties. Myrtle Boethica is a rare guest of the “green interior” of Russian apartments.

Chilean myrtle (luma apiculata)

Types and varieties of myrtle tree

There are from 20 to 40 species and more than 100 varieties of myrtle. Most of them are grown in botanical gardens in many countries around the world.

Myrtle - care at home, how to reanimate if it has dried out

For growing at home, the variety most often used is the common myrtle, the most unpretentious of them.

The characteristics that attract the plant are its high decorative value, aroma, healing properties and the ability to grow a bonsai tree.

Swamp myrtle (Calyculata)

Swamp myrtle is an evergreen shrub up to 1 meter high. The popular name is Cassandra.

The crown is spreading, the stems are straight. There are small scales on the branches. The leaves are small, attached to short petioles. Snow-white flowers are collected in racemes. It is distinguished by its adaptability to the Russian frosty winter. The favorite place of growth is sphagnum bogs. Life expectancy is up to 50 years.

Additional Information. Leaves and shoots contain poison. Their use as livestock feed is strictly prohibited.

Variegata myrtle

It is distinguished by variegated leaves, bordered by specks and dashes of an amber hue, the brightness of which depends on the light. Myrtle variegata feels great outdoors and indoors.

When favorable conditions are created, it begins to bloom with small flowers of beige and snow-white shades with golden stamens. Used to make flower arrangements.

Unusual flower of the marsh myrtle

Exudes an amazing aroma, destroys germs and neutralizes carbon dioxide. Considered a symbol of fertility.

Myrtle Hymen

The evergreen shrub received its name in honor of the God of Marriage, the second name is the Happiness of the Bride. Symbolizes youth and beauty. Young people planning to become hymen gave each other branches of myrtle. It has small emerald-colored leaves in the shape of a lancet. In the wild it grows up to 5 meters tall, as a houseplant - no higher than 1 meter. Flowering branches decorate wedding bouquets.

Lush flowering of the Hymen variety

Lemon Myrtle (Lemon)

It has a lemon scent. In the wild it is found in the tropical zone of the Australian mainland. Widely used in cooking for the preparation of syrups, sauces, dressings and drinks. Dried leaves are used as spices and seasonings.

Myrtle Communis, or common (Communis)

Myrtle Communis belongs to the ornamental crops. Prevails in evergreen oak forests of the Mediterranean adjacent to thickets of shrubs. It looks like a small evergreen tree up to 5 meters high.

Interesting! The leaves are single, oblong in shape, located on tetrahedral stems. Blooms profusely with snow-white, very fragrant flowers located on short racemes.

Large-leaved myrtle

A variation of the common subspecies. Myrtle macrofolia has an antimicrobial effect. Destroys bacteria and pathogenic rods. Used in the treatment and prevention of:

• flu;
• tonsillitis;
• sinusitis;
• prostatitis;
• gastrointestinal diseases.

Grows up to 4 meters. The stems are tetrahedral, shiny leaves are opposite, up to 5 cm long with pointed edges. Small flowers with five snow-white petals grow on long stalks. The golden stamens are arranged symmetrically.

Myrtle Alhambra

Attracts with its decorative appearance. Suitable for growing outdoors and as a houseplant. Used to create compositions. Prefers bright, illuminated places.

White myrtle fruits Alhambra

Flowering occurs in spring. The snow-white flowers are miniature with a strong aroma. In their place, oval-shaped seed pods are formed; unlike other species, they are snow-white in color.

Myrtle Tarentina

Dwarf form of the common subspecies. It blooms profusely with miniature fragrant snow-white flowers collected in inflorescences.

Small-leaved, leaves no more than 1.5 cm in length, elongated in shape with sharp jagged edges, located on short emerald petioles.

This representative of the flora is growing rapidly. In the wild it exceeds 5 meters, in indoor conditions it reaches 1 meter. Responds well to sunlight, regular watering and spraying.

African myrtle (Myrsina)

African myrtle is mistakenly classified as a member of the Myrtaceae family, although it belongs to the Myrsinoideae family. They have an external similarity, but a closer look reveals a different shape of the leaves, the flowers are smaller and different from the myrtles.

The correct name for the lookalike is African myrsina. Habitat:

• African continent;
• China;
• Himalayas.

Myrsina Africana of the Myrsinaceae family

There are shrubby and tree-like forms of myrsina, and there are variegated ones that require good lighting.

The shoots are reddish. The small elliptical leaves are dark green on the upper side and light green on the lower side.

There are female and male flowers. The first ones are smaller with white, light purple or pinkish petals. Men's - in lilac tones with bright red anthers.

The purple berries produced in autumn are fleshy, ball-shaped and contain 1 seed. They hang on the branches for a long time, maintaining their decorative appearance.

Mysterious myrtle: history, myths and legends

According to legend, a simple wreath of myrtle gives amazing beauty

The first mention of common myrtle dates back to 1499. It was found in the Gennady Bible. But historical data about the plant is rather scarce. But it is shrouded in many myths and legends.

One of the legends says that Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, often wore a myrtle wreath. It was thanks to the unusual decoration that Paris recognized her as the most beautiful on Earth. From this time on, myrtle began to be considered the sacred tree of Aphrodite. Even today, the Greeks place a sprig of myrtle under the pillow of every newborn girl so that she grows up to be as beautiful as Aphrodite.

The tradition of giving a myrtle tree for a wedding has survived to this day. This is a symbol of the well-being and happiness of a young family. Later, a cutting of myrtle from a wedding plant is planted in the yard as hope for a long, faithful love.

A love amulet is created from a branch of a myrtle tree. The dried flower shoot is placed in a canvas bag and worn on the chest under clothing.

It is believed that such a talisman will give happiness and love to lonely people. He will also protect the woman from attacks on her honor. And if you wear the talisman to spouses, it will save them from betrayal and jealousy.

Myrtle blossom

Various signs are associated with the common myrtle:

1. The tree is placed in the house near the entrance. This protects the home from negative energy. If an ill-wisher appears, the plant absorbs the energy emanating from it, which can cause harm.
2. Myrtle is planted only by the owner of the house. At the same time, she should be in beautiful clothes and think only about the good and kind. Mentally thank the tree for the fact that it will grow in the house, give prosperity, love, prosperity
3. The flowering of indoor culture is equated to the purity and purity of the bride. If the bush has bloomed, then love and prosperity will settle in the house, and its withering threatens with troubles. That is why the plant is cared for especially carefully.

In any case, the growth of myrtle in an apartment is a good sign that gives hope for warmth and well-being of the family hearth.

sunlight

The flower loves the sun, and may even be under its direct rays. However, it is better to hide it from excessively bright light during the midday heat.

The best option would be to place the plant near an east or west window. The lack of sunlight will affect the number of flowers - there will be fewer of them than expected.

Lack of sunlight can affect the number of flowers

Comments (8)

• Angela

  04/06/2018 at 00:18 |
  I wanted to grow myrtle at home. I picked off a twig from a small tree in the store. The branch took root well and quickly began to grow. But the joy did not last long. After about 2 months, all the leaves fell off and my myrtle dried up.

  Answer

  Yulia Expert Plodogorod

  12/25/2018 at 00:01 |

  Hello Angela! The first reason why myrtle could shed its leaves is that the temperature is too high for this flower, since it loves coolness. If during cold weather the plant stands on a windowsill under which there are radiators, then they should be covered or the flower should be moved. In spring and summer the temperature should not exceed 20 degrees, and in winter and autumn 10.

  Another probable cause of leaf falling is overdried soil or excess moisture. Therefore, this plant needs to be watered regularly, but only when the top layer of soil is completely dry. In winter, watering is less frequent. Lack of lighting leads to the same consequence. It is better to diffuse sunlight. Myrtle does not tolerate direct sunlight for long.

  If the plant eventually died, then most likely it was attacked by a spider mite. Their appearance is indicated by thin cobwebs and white dots on the back of the leaves. The appearance of this pest is often provoked by dry air. Therefore, regularly spray and even occasionally bathe your pets in the shower. Moreover, it is myrtle that loves these procedures. But don’t overdo it, otherwise prevention will lead to rotting. You need to make sure that there is no moisture left in the axils of the leaves.

  Among folk remedies to combat this pest, it is often recommended to wash the flower with laundry soap or dishwashing detergent. This will not solve the problem, but it will reduce the number of mites. Do not leave the flower in the soap solution for a long time, this will cause a chemical burn.

  Among chemical substances, preparations of acaricides and insectoacaricides are usually used. Please note that the treatment must be carried out several times in order to destroy the eggs of spider mites. Otherwise, the whole struggle may be in vain.

  There are also complex action tablets that are inserted into the soil. They both fertilize and protect indoor plants from pests. Usually a new tablet is placed in the pot once a month.

  Answer

general description

Under natural conditions, Myrtle communis usually grows to 3-5 meters in height.
In apartments, this flower has a height of 50-60 centimeters, occasionally it can grow up to 1 meter. The plant is a tree with whole dense leaves up to 5 centimeters long, from which essential oils are obtained. The latter are widely used in the perfume industry and medicine.

Myrtle is popular when decorating the interior of apartments and offices, and creating landscapes in personal plots. It grows slowly, relative to other indoor plants - under favorable conditions, its annual growth can be only 10-15 centimeters.

It tolerates pruning well, so overgrown flowers can be trimmed, including to give the crown the required shape.

Myrtle communis has medicinal properties. Essential vapors can kill up to 80% of germs in the room, including those that cause sore throat and tuberculosis. Actively used in homeopathy.

Pests and diseases

Myrtle is harmed by mealybugs, whiteflies, scale insects, aphids, thrips and spider mites, which appear as a result of chronic violation of the rules of plant maintenance. The first five pests are destroyed by treating myrtle with actara or actellik four times over the course of a month. It is advisable to wash off spider mites and thrips with a shower before treating with the same Actellik. But rather than poisoning myrtle with insecticides, it is better to prevent insect invasion by following very simple rules for caring for the plant.

The myrtle has dried up

A frequently asked question from our readers: “What to do if the myrtle has dried up?” should sound different: “What should I do to prevent myrtle from drying out?” And the answer to this question is very simple: strictly follow the rules for keeping myrtle. If the leaves of myrtle dry out, it means that you have not taken into account any of the recommendations of experts on caring for the plant. Insufficient air humidity has an adverse effect on the condition of the foliage, especially if in winter the myrtle is in a room with a temperature above 18 ºC, where heating devices operate, not only heating, but also drying out the air.

Myrtle also dries out if you forget to water it. Remember the rules for caring for a plant and follow them strictly, because it is much easier to prevent the death of a plant by taking preventive measures than to resuscitate it later. Water and spray the myrtle regularly with settled water, keep it on a tray with wet pebbles, but so that the bottom of the pot does not stand in water.

Transplanting myrtle into a pot after purchasing

For any plant, a change in environment and conditions becomes a big stress. That is why in the first two weeks you cannot transplant myrtle from one pot to another. The plant requires quarantine for 14 days. During this time, the grower must treat the tree with a pesticide and adjust the watering and spraying regime.

How to propagate myrtle at home from cuttings

It is necessary to replant a young plant earlier than two weeks later if it was purchased in a shipping container in which flower development is impossible, or if the soil contains harmful impurities and does not meet the requirements of myrtle.

What is needed for planting

The size of the new pot should match the size of the root ball. Before the replanting procedure, it is necessary to prepare the soil: a mixture purchased in a store or prepared independently is suitable.

There may be several options:

• one part of turf, humus and half a part of peat soil and sand;
• two parts of turf, clay soil, humus and one part of sand.

For a young plant, ordinary greenhouse soil is also suitable. It is necessary to lay drainage at the bottom of the pot - expanded clay or perlite will do.

Important! You can add a small amount of hydrogel to the soil for myrtle, which will retain moisture.

How to choose the optimal location

The tree needs a lot of light - if there is not enough light, the leaves fade and the stems stretch. However, direct sunlight can cause the leaf blades to turn yellow and curl. If the plant is planned to be grown indoors, it should be placed on western or eastern windows.

African

Step by step planting process

Three days before planting, the soil should be stopped moistening - when the root ball dries, the plant will be easier to remove from the container. The process is quite simple:

1. Carefully remove the plant from the container.
2. Clean the roots from the soil.
3. Trim those roots that have mechanical damage, are dry or tangled.
4. Place drainage at the bottom of the pot.
5. Pour three centimeters of soil on top.
6. Install the seedling and cover it with soil, compacting it around the trunk with careful movements.
7. Moisten the soil, and after half an hour, drain excess water from the pan.

Important! It is recommended to replant an adult myrtle once every three years; a young plant needs to be replanted annually.