Myrtus communis subsp. tarentina 'Microphylla'
Common name(s): compact dwarf sweet myrtle,
Description: evergreen shrub; 'Microphylla' is a cultivar with tidy, compact growth and is ideal for hedges and landscaping. Glossy, aromatic foliage and fragrant white flowers in summer that ripen into blue-black berries by autumn. Berries and leaves have been used since ancient times in medicine, cooking, and rituals. Known as 'the wedding herb' since Roman times and still a common addition to bridal bouquets.
Height: to 3 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.
Position: full sun and well-draining soil
Uses: culinary- to flavor meat, liqueurs, stews and stuffings, medicine, ornamental- as a specimen plant or low hedge
Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below
Drought: adapted to 4 months of summer drought
Notes: we purchased our original stock from Sandy Mush Herb Nursery as M. communis 'Microphylla' -- it seems likely that this is the same clone as the more commonly marketed M. communis 'Compacta' which doesn't appear in any literature until a 1926 catalog of Armstrong Nurseries in Ontario, California. M. communis 'Microphylla' appears as early as 1850 and possibly before. If they are indeed different, they are morphologically similar enough to be grown side by side without notice. Some sources refer to M. communis 'Jenny Reitenbach,' as a synonym of M. communis 'Microphylla' but most records indicate that it bore white fruits instead and there seems to be scant if any record of it ever being cultivated in the U.S.