Ugni molinae
Ugni molinae
Common name(s): Chilean guava, strawberry myrtle
Description: an evergreen shrub native to, you guessed it, Chile. In summer it will produce fragrant bell shaped flowers followed by small, yet delicious dark red berries. It was one of Queen Victoria's favorite fruits and she is largely to thank for its prevalence in British and Western gardening. Relatively slow-growing and self-fertile but may yield more fruit with multiple plants.
Height: to 4 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.
Position: full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil
Uses: culinary- preserves, sauces, fruit salads, etc.
Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below
Ugni Molinae 'Flambeau'
A variegated cultivar with cream-white leaf margins and attractive hues of pink on new growth.
Height: to 4 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.
Notes: first cultivated in western gardens around 1851 when specimens were brought to England by William Lobb and introduced to the plant trade by Messrs. Veitch and Son of Exeter under its original name Myrtus ugni.