What does common myrtle look like? Indoor myrtle: care and varieties. Features of reproduction of myrtle

Among the ancient Greeks, myrtle was considered a symbol of youth, beauty and chastity. Even then, the beneficial effect of essential oils was noted. Noble townspeople washed themselves with water infused with myrtle. Wine infusion on the fruits of myrtle was used as an elixir of health and vigor. By releasing phytoncides, myrtle destroys pathogenic microbes, even in extremely small doses, phytoncides kill tuberculosis and diphtheria bacilli and other bacteria. A plant with a total leaf area of ​​1.5 m² can purify 100 cubic meters of air by 40-50%, kills up to 22% of streptococci and up to 40% of staphylococci. Helps to cope with influenza and acute respiratory infections.

Myrtle. © Sarah Gregg Content:

Description of myrtle

Myrtle (lat. Myrtus)- a genus of southern evergreen woody plants with white fluffy flowers and dark green leaves containing essential oil. Also, myrtle used to be called a wreath of flowers and leaves of such a tree or its branch - a symbol of silence, peace and pleasure.

Myrtle is a fragrant evergreen tree. It has dark green, as if polished leaves, beautiful flowers. Myrtle leaves contain an essential oil that was used to make incense. Myrtle was a sign of glory and good deeds. Myrtle wreath with roses in ancient times was a favorite wedding decoration.

Myrtle. © Giancarlo Dessì

Mythology myrtle

In ancient times, myrtle was an attribute of the goddess Venus and her three maids - the three graces. During the Renaissance, evergreen myrtle began to symbolize eternal love, especially marital fidelity.

During the Renaissance, evergreen myrtle began to symbolize eternal love, especially marital fidelity.

The word "myrtle" itself is of Greek origin. Legend has it that the nymph Mirsina, whom Athena herself admired and admired, defeated this supreme goddess of Olympus in a race. Envy overshadowed admiration for her beloved, and Athena killed the nymph in retaliation for hurt pride. But coming to her senses, she was horrified and began to pray for the advice of the Olympian gods, so that they would leave her at least some recollection of Mirsin. The gods took pity, and an elegant plant, like the nymph herself, grew out of the body of the deceased - myrtle.

According to legend, Aphrodite was crowned with a wreath of myrtle during the famous dispute, thanks to which Paris gave her his apple. Since then, myrtle has become the favorite flower of the goddess of love and beauty, sometimes she even called herself Myrthea. Many myrtle bushes were planted around the temples of Aphrodite, and during the annual festivities in honor of this goddess, everyone was decorated with myrtle wreaths.

Features of growing myrtle

Bloom: usually summer to mid-autumn.

Height: myrtle grows rather slowly: annual growth is 10-15 cm.

Light: bright scattered; The plant is able to tolerate a certain amount of sunlight.

Temperature: in spring and summer moderate or slightly below moderate, 18-20 °C; during the winter months, the myrtle tree is best kept at 5°C and no higher than 8-10°C.

Watering: from spring to autumn, regular and abundant (as the upper layer of the substrate dries up), in winter - limited.

Air humidity: from spring to autumn, the plant is sprayed.

Top dressing: from spring to autumn, myrtle is fertilized weekly with flower fertilizer.

Pruning: plants tolerate pruning and shearing, so they can be given any shape.

rest period: in winter; the plant is kept in a bright, cool (5-10 ° C) place, watering is limited.

Transfer: young plants are transplanted every year in the spring, without deepening the base of the trunk into the soil; further transplantation is carried out if necessary after 2-3 years.

Reproduction: The plant is propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Myrtle. © Forest & Kim Starr

Myrtle Care

Myrtle loves bright diffused light, tolerates a certain amount of direct sunlight. Suitable for growing near western and eastern windows. At the windows of the south direction in the summer, it is necessary to provide the plant with protection from the midday sun. It can grow on a north window, but flowering will be less plentiful. In winter, myrtle is placed in the most illuminated places.

In summer, the myrtle can be exposed outdoors, to a place where protection from the direct midday sun is provided. The plant should be accustomed to a new level of illumination gradually. Some flower growers bury a pot of myrtle directly into the ground to harden the plant for the summer.

Myrtle loves coolness, in spring and summer he needs a moderate or slightly below moderate temperature (18-20 ° C). During the winter months, the myrtle tree is best kept at 5°C and no higher than 8-10°C. At higher than optimal winter temperatures, the plant may shed its leaves.

Myrtle needs an influx of fresh air.

Myrtle is watered from spring to autumn regularly and plentifully (as the top layer of the substrate dries up), in winter it is limited, with soft settled water. In no case should even a short-term drying of the soil be allowed. If, nevertheless, the substrate is dry, apply watering by immersing the pot in a container of water. At the same time, care must be taken that the water does not stagnate in the pan.

You should carefully monitor the humidity of the air. Although under natural myrtle conditions, air humidity rarely exceeds 60%, in rooms with central heating it is usually less than half. From spring to autumn, the plant should be sprayed regularly. For spraying, use only soft settled or filtered water. In winter, when kept cool, the plant is not sprayed.

From spring to autumn, the myrtle is fertilized, as already noted, with a weekly flower fertilizer.

Myrtle has a pronounced dormant period. Depending on the position in the room, the myrtle is at rest from 3 (on the north window) to 1.5 (on the south) months.

Myrtle easily tolerates a haircut, and it can be given a very bizarre shape. Several ways of forming a plant are given: “If myrtle (this is how myrtle was called in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century) is left to itself, then the plant will take the form of a pyramid. If you cut off the upper shoot, then the shape of a bush, if, finally, cut off the side shoots, then the myrtle takes the form of a crowned tree and branches at the top.

However, the author advises not to get too carried away with pruning lateral shoots, especially in young plants, since the myrtle stem is not strong enough. Also, do not pinch young shoots too often - this reduces the intensity of flowering. Therefore, when caring for myrtle, you need to decide what is preferable - strongly branching compact bushes or beautifully flowering specimens with a loose crown.

Young plants are transplanted every year in the spring, without deepening the base of the trunk into the soil; further transplantation is carried out if necessary after 2-3 years. The following mixtures are recommended as a substrate: 1) sod-humus-peat soil and sand in equal proportions; 2) ordinary greenhouse soil; 3) clay-soddy-peat-humus soil and sand (1:1:1:0.5). The pH of the substrate should be in the region of 5-6. The bottom of the pot provides a good layer of drainage.

Reproduction of myrtle

Myrtle is propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Propagation of myrtle seeds

For sowing, we make a mixture of peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 1 (you can mix peat with vermiculite (1: 1)). The substrate is moistened (you can shed the substrate with a fungicide).

Seeds are distributed over the surface of the substrate, sprinkled on top with a thin layer of the substrate. The container with seeds is covered with glass or a transparent bag (you can use cling film). The temperature is maintained not lower than +18..20 °C. Periodically ventilate by removing the shelter. The substrate must be kept moist, try not to overmoisten or overdry.

Seedlings usually germinate in 7-14 days. When the seedlings have two true leaves, they dive into pots of the appropriate size. The substrate is made up of turf land - 1 hour, humus - 1 hour, peat - 1 hour and sand - 1 hour. After transshipment, the seedlings may freeze in growth for a while, after a while they usually start growing again.

By weaving a clod of earth with roots, transshipment is done. Further care - as for adult plants.

Myrtle grown from seeds blooms at 5 years of age.

Reproduction of myrtle cuttings

Myrtle is propagated by semi-woody cuttings in January-February and in summer - in July. Cuttings are taken from the lower and middle parts of the crown, the size of the cutting is 5-8 cm; to reduce evaporation, half of the existing leaves are cut off, and the remaining ones are shortened. It is useful to treat the cut with growth stimulants. N. Tsybulya et al recommend using heteroauxin mixed with ascorbic acid (0.25% 0). Root in boxes, bowls, wide low pots in a mixture of leafy soil and coarse sand, or sphagnum and sand in a cool (16-20 ° C) shaded place.

The cuttings are watered, sprayed and covered with glass or plastic wrap. Occasionally, the soil is ventilated to avoid rotting of the cuttings and acidification of the soil. Cuttings take root within 20-30 days. Rooted cuttings are planted in 7 cm pots. The substrate is made up of turf land - 1 hour, humus - 1 hour, peat - 1 hour and sand - 1 hour. Water plentifully. Young plants are pinched to encourage flowering. By weaving a clod of earth with roots, transshipment is given. A plant from cuttings blooms for 3-4 years.

Myrtle. © Rafael Jimenez

Myrtle species

To the genus Myrtle (Myrtus) belongs to 16 to 40 species of the myrtle family. Species of the genus Myrtle are common in North Africa, Western Asia, on the islands of the Caribbean, in Florida (USA), on the Azores, in Europe (Mediterranean region).

In culture, one species is widely known - Myrtle ordinary M. communis.

Common myrtle (Myrtus communis). It grows in the undergrowth of evergreen oaks and pines and in thickets of shrubs in the Mediterranean region, the Azores, North Africa. Trees or shrubs up to 3-4 m tall; shoots 4-sided, finely hairy, rounded, glabrous. Leaves opposite, sometimes collected in 3, ovate, lanceolate, 2-4 (up to 5) cm long and 1-2 cm wide, pointed, leathery, entire, smooth, glabrous, glossy.

If you look at a leaf of myrtle in the light, you can see small dots filled with essential oil, thanks to which the plant emits a pleasant aroma. The most fragrant white flowers of the plant. They are medium-sized (up to 2 cm in diameter), five-petalled, located one at a time on long pedicels. Numerous golden stamens give them a special identity.

In nature, myrtle reaches a height of 3-5 m. In culture, the plant is low (about 60 cm), rarely reaches 1 m.

Common myrtle has many cultural forms that differ in leaf position and ability to bloom.

Possible Difficulties in Growing Myrtle

If there is not enough light, the stems are stretched, the leaves become smaller and turn pale, in the case of its excess, they fade, turn yellow, the edges curl. In a dark room with a high temperature, the plant sheds its leaves.

The plant suffers greatly due to drying and overflow of the substrate. If the plant has shed its leaves due to overdrying or waterlogging, cut the shoots to half and continue watering (in case of waterlogging, watering is very careful) and spraying. After two weeks, young leaves may appear.

If placed too warm and dark, the leaves may fall off. If suddenly the leaves began to fly around from the myrtle, then the matter is in the wrong watering: it is either insufficient or excessive. In this case, it can be recommended to immerse the overdried plant in water, and transplant the waterlogged one. However, most often the plant cannot be saved.

Pests primarily affect old specimens. This is also facilitated by too high air temperatures in winter.

Common myrtle is an evergreen plant, sung in myths. It conquers with the aroma of flowers, shiny green leaves and the ability to create a bush, tree or bonsai from it at home. In a closed circuit of greenhouses, apartments, offices, the common myrtle flower is grown. It is believed that this is a paradise tree that has taken root on earth.

What conquered the myrtle of indoor flower growers

In the Mediterranean, myrtle is a tree up to 4 meters high. All parts of it are healing, not for nothing that the name is translated as a balm. Indoor myrtle ordinary retained useful properties. Only growth has become lower, more than a meter in height in room conditions does not rise. But obedient branches can be directed according to the designer's idea and even grow a small grove of trees on a tray. Common myrtle, a flower, you can look at photos of its compositions endlessly.

Many years will pass, jewelry work will be required before the master creates such a miracle from a bush. This is art. But it is not easy to grow a simple fragrant bush of myrtle. In Germany, every girl used to take care of her tree from a very young age. When she got married, the flower became the talisman of a young family. The more beautiful the bride had myrtle, the more family happiness was predicted for this family. Such an understanding could also be a subtext. If a girl has already found an approach to a flower, she will also understand her husband, tame her, and there will be happiness in the family.

Myrtle is known as a cult plant not only in ancient Greece. It is a symbol of marital fidelity, peace and tranquility in the house and now. Wedding wreaths of myrtle and rose ropes symbolize the fidelity of the spouses.

Myrtle brings health to the house. The leaves of the culture emit a pleasant smell, the flowers are fragrant. Scientists have determined that a small bush destroys up to 80% of microbes flying in the air. The smell of a flower on all the inhabitants of the room has a calming effect - pacifies!

For colds, steam inhalations with ordinary myrtle leaves are useful. And when the plant blooms with white and pinkish flowers, it is impossible to look away from it. Its dried berries are a spice.

Myrtle ordinary, caring for him at home

It is not easy to create conditions under which a plant thrives, sharing a home with a person. Myrtle is a special plant. He requires love and care more than other window sill dwellers.

The main task for the development of a flower is the ability to provide it with a cold wintering. In a city apartment with central heating, there is hardly a bright corner with a temperature of about 10 degrees. A closed loggia or balcony can save the situation, where in winter you can keep an ordinary myrtle plant.

Let's start with the fact that we bought a flower in a store, grown in distant Holland. A beautiful tree conquered with its bright foliage, healthy appearance.

But a little time passed, and it became clear that the leaves were beginning to dry out and fall off. And although there are a lot of them, the bush is still fluffy, but the urgent need to see what's with the roots made me carefully remove it from the container. There, among the tangle of tangled roots, there was almost no earth. An incomprehensible composition, similar to household waste and granules of some substance, probably fertilizer, which the plant feeds on. It is necessary to transplant the myrtle, this is a common practice for all purchased flowers, transplanted after a two-week quarantine.

Common myrtle care includes the following:

• transfer;
• pruning;
• content temperature;
• mode of watering, wetting of leaves, fertilizer;
• elimination of problems.

Plant transplantation is carried out in a pot with a good drainage hole. The pot is taken larger than the one in which the plant is settled. The roots are freed from the substrate and planted in a new soil of the desired composition. Do not bury the trunk. Create a drainage layer of at least 5 cm. Half of the soil composition consists of soddy soil, the second half represents equal shares of peat, sand and humus. In the future, a flower transplant should be done by transshipment if the myrtle does not dry out and the roots are healthy.

Pruning or pinching the growing crown is necessary so that the branches do not stretch and the plant is compact. After spring pruning, the plant quickly releases young foliage and begins to bloom.

Cut off tops can be rooted, getting young myrtles. The cuttings are germinated in water, then placed in light soil under a cap until new leaves begin to be released.

The room where ordinary myrtle is kept should be bright, with good air exchange. The direct rays of the sun will dry the foliage and it will begin to fall off. In summer, the plant likes to be outdoors. In winter, the room should also be bright, cool, with high humidity.

Water the plant sparingly, but often, so that the ground is constantly moist, but not wet. Water should not contain chlorine and hardness salts. It is better if it is filtered in a jug with carbon cartridges. Regular spraying, a tray of moss will help keep the right moisture around the myrtle.

Myrtle ordinary should not be allocated a place in the bedroom. Its essential oils are stimulating, and restful sleep will be disturbed. For the same reason, drugs from myrtle should not be taken at night.

Twice a month during the period of warm keeping, from March, fertilizing watering should be done. If a green tree is grown or a bonsai is formed, fertilizers are taken for ornamental houseplants. For a flowering bush, you need to take a different composition, with a predominance of phosphorus salt.

The plant rebels and sheds foliage if the following conditions are created for it:

• the sun's rays burning the crown;
• non-compliance with the water regime and microclimate;
• warm wintering;
• lack of light in summer and winter;

He regards all this as a lack of love and drops the leaves.

Is it possible to revive a dying plant

As soon as drying, falling leaves become noticeable, you need to arm yourself with a magnifying glass. Perhaps a spider mite has wound up on your flower. The first sign will be yellowing of individual leaves. It can settle if the leaves are rarely moistened, and the air in the room is dry. If the yellowing of the leaves is massive, then the reason may be overflow and rotting of the roots.

If there are live branches, the plant must be reanimated. First of all, revise the roots, remove all damaged ones. Sprinkle the places of cuts with crushed coal, then with Kornevin. Free the ground part from the leaves, perform a deep pruning. Leave only live branches. Take the land for planting light so that it does not hold water. Do frequent watering with water with microdoses of Kornevin. And wait, perhaps the plant will come to life. It is better not to bring the flower to such a state.

The content of the myrtle of an ordinary house - video

Myrtle is a pretty fragrant tree that can be grown at home along with other houseplants. Caring for this tree is not exactly easy, but not as difficult as it might seem.

The myrtle tree, the photo of which you can see in the article, attracts with its unusual appearance and pleasant aroma. It will be discussed below.

Description of the myrtle tree

Such a houseplant as myrtle looks great both as an independent flower and in composition with other home flowers. It is believed that myrtle has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.. This flower at home performs not only an aesthetic function, because its leaves and cuttings can be used as seasonings for various dishes.

In many countries, the myrtle tree is considered the embodiment of moral purity, love and fidelity. These traditions known since biblical times and still relevant today. For example, in some cultures, a peace flower presented at a wedding is considered a symbol of good marriage and prosperity.

Under natural conditions, the myrtle flower grows in the Mediterranean in a subtropical climate. In the photo you can see what this plant looks like:

• the leaves are small and shiny, have an elongated shape;
• white and pink flowers contain essential oils;
• myrtle fruits are nuts or dark blue drupes.

plant application

The plant's appeal has made it a welcome addition as a room color that fits in with any style of kitchen or room. However aesthetic side- far from the only purpose of myrtle.

Myrtle is also used as follows:

Famous varieties of myrtle

The plant has a huge number of species and varieties, which differ from each other in the following parameters:

• color;
• leaf shape;
• fruit color;
• tree height.

The most attractive varieties are:

• Flore Pleno, having double flowers;
• Tarentina Variegata;
• Variegata;
• Microphylla Tarentina, characterized by a small size;
• La Clape;
• La Clape Blanc.

However, despite the large number of varieties of this flower, the common myrtle remains the most popular as a houseplant, the intricacies of caring for which will be discussed below.

Myrtle: home care

You can see photos of these plants grown at home both in the article and on the Internet. And so that they have such an attractive appearance, care must be taken behind them at room conditions.

Remember that myrtle is a subtropical plant, so it needs high humidity, which can be provided by regular spraying. For watering and spraying myrtle, settled soft water is used. It is not necessary to specially soften it for these purposes, but lime in the soil of a flower can harm it.

The composition of the soil should preferably be close to natural. The proportions of the substrate for myrtle should be something like this:

• 30 percent turf;
• 30 percent peat soil;
• 20 percent river or screened sand;
• 20 percent humus.

You can use greenhouse soil or ready mix for soil.

Even a short-term drying of the soil is dangerous for the world, the plant may turn yellow and wither. When the soil dries out, the flower in the pot is immersed in water. However stagnation of water in the container for the flower should also not be.

To feed the plant, use special complex formulations for flowering houseplants.

Myrtle loves to be outdoors, and he is not afraid of drafts. That's why at home, it can be kept in places such as a kitchen window sill or a balcony. Thus, phytoncides, which improve the atmosphere of the room, will be released even more actively.

The best place for myrtle indoors is a south-lit window. You can keep the plant in another place, but it will be comfortable to bloom here.

Features of caring for myrtle also depend on the time of year. Let's talk about this in more detail below.

Features of summer plant care

At home, from spring to autumn, inclusive, myrtle needs moderate temperature conditions, the optimal indicator is about 23 degrees. It is better to keep the plant in a lighted place, but at the same time it needs to be shaded from the heat with the help of curtains or special screens.

If there is such an opportunity, transfer the world to a balcony or veranda, where there is more air. If it remains for the summer at room conditions, the room must be regularly ventilated.

Watering in the warm season should be regular, but not plentiful. You need to feed the plant once a week. In the spring, the myrtle is cut and transplanted. Transplantation should be performed a maximum of once every two years.

Caring for myrtle in winter

Winter for this flower is a dormant period. Watering should be moderate, but the soil should not be too dry. One watering per week will be enough. spray the plant needed only when it is located in a warm room. Top dressing is carried out every 4-5 weeks.

For the winter, the world must be moved to a bright and cool place and kept at a temperature of about 10 degrees. If a flower sheds its leaves It means he's hot. Do not be sad if he loses a lot of leaves, because in the spring he will again restore his splendor.

How to prune myrtle

The plant responds well to this procedure, so it is desirable to give the desired shape to its crown. It is advisable to leave side shoots at the same time, because the stem is not very strong. However, pruning and pinching are not always beneficial in bud formation.

During pruning, the myrtle is fed with a chlorine-free houseplant fertilizer.

Features of reproduction of myrtle

Myrtle is propagated by seeds and cuttings. To preserve the maternal characteristics of the plant, it is better to do this with the help of cuttings. The soil at the same time must have a temperature of at least 25 degrees. Cuttings are carried out in winter or mid-summer as follows:

• cut a cutting up to 9 cm long from a side shoot;
• remove the lower leaves, and treat the cut with Kornevin;
• we plant cuttings in sandy-peat soil;
• cover with glass or film on top;
• leave to take root for 2-3 weeks;
• we plant the cuttings in separate pots.

The second method of plant propagation, seed, has a key disadvantage- it is impossible to preserve the varietal characteristics in their original form. And it also takes a long time to grow.

Sowing seeds is carried out in early spring. They are planted in a sandy-peat substrate, then covered with soil. Then g orshok covered with glass or film, and in the room they make diffused lighting and a temperature of about 21 degrees.

After a couple of weeks, the first shoots appear. Myrtles are planted in separate containers when at least 4 leaves appear.

When growing a plant from seeds, a crown must be formed, so the sprout must be pinched at the right height.

How to transplant a myrtle tree?

Myrtle does not grow too fast, so it is often not necessary to transplant it. However, if necessary, this should be done when it becomes crowded in a pot. Transplantation is recommended no more than once every three years.. It is best to do this in winter.

To make it easier to remove the plant from the container, it is not watered for several days. Then the tree is carefully removed, holding the trunk.

In order for the roots to take root better, they are treated with a stimulant. In a pot with drainage and expanded clay, you need to pour the substrate, then lay the myrtle, then pour out the soil and level its surface. You need to water it until the water gets into the container.. Then the plant is transferred to a dark place.

flowering period

Myrtle blooms from early to mid-summer. Its flowers can be simple or double., be in the axils of the leaves individually or be collected in a brush. Basically, they bloom in the upper most illuminated part.

For flowering to be successful, follow these rules of care:

• do not cut the myrtle in early spring, it is better to do it after flowering;
• provide regular airing of the flower.

Diseases and pests

If the soil under the myrtle is poorly drained, then this can cause root rot. Also, with improper care, the plant is exposed to many diseases.

Pests dangerous for myrtle are:

• spider mite;
• thrips;
• scab;
• whitefly.

Check your plant regularly for strange rashes or other manifestations. If you find traces of pests, treat the plant with special products.

It is also worth remembering that myrtle leaves contain toxic components, which, if a person has sensitivity, can cause headaches and nausea.

Improper care of the flower can cause lethargy and yellowing of the leaves. Make sure the soil doesn't dry out lighting and temperature were always normal, do not let everything take its course. Monitor the frequency of watering and, if necessary, transplant the plant on time.

The rules for caring for myrtle at home are not so complicated. And if you stick to them, your houseplant will give you peace and joy.

Myrtle is an evergreen woody plant that belongs to the Myrtaceae family. In nature, these are trees or shrubs that can reach a height of three meters. A houseplant myrtle at home is a bush with a round crown no more than one meter high. The plant has long been considered a symbol of hope, peace and glory. Myrtle flowers were used by our ancestors for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. Popular drugs from them today. Houseplant lovers willingly grow a beautiful tree in their homes. Knowing how to properly care for myrtle, you can get an optimally shaped plant that will decorate the house with its leathery small leaves and simple or double fragrant flowers.

A tree at home grows from 30 to 60 cm in height. It has elongated, small, leathery leaves that seem polished. The leaves have a pointed top and grow on short petioles. In summer, in the axils of the leaves, brushes of single or double flowers, or single flowers are formed. After flowering, fruits ripen on the plant, which are a berry or a nut.

In indoor floriculture, common myrtle (communis) is most often grown, the care of which we will describe in detail in our article.

The world is ordinary - care at home

Myrtle communis (common) is a small tree with a short branched trunk. It has red-brown bark, leathery, glossy, oval-lanceolate green leaves, and white or pale pink flowers. Stamens protrude from the middle of the flower. The leaves of the plant have a pleasant aroma. It blooms throughout the summer, after which red-black berries form on the tree.

Myrtle is recommended to be grown on windows on the west and east sides. On the southern windowsills in the summer it will need to be shaded, for which you can use a tulle curtain. When grown on northern window sills, flowering will be poor.

Air temperature. Indoor myrtle does not like heat and grows well at air temperatures in the range of + 18 ... + 20 degrees. It is recommended to ventilate the room regularly. In winter, the plant needs to provide cool conditions with an air temperature of +5 to +10 degrees. At higher temperatures in the winter season, the flower may shed its leaves.

Air humidity. Myrtle needs high humidity, so in spring and summer its leaves should be regularly sprayed with settled water at room temperature. In winter, at low temperatures in the room, spraying is not needed. But, if it is not possible to provide the plant with cool conditions, spraying should be carried out several times a day. From working heating radiators at home, the air becomes dry, which is why leaves fall from the tree. To avoid this, around the plant you need to increase the humidity. To do this, you can use special humidifiers or put a flower pot on a pallet with wet expanded clay or moss.

Watering myrtle. Water the tree in spring and summer abundantly, as soon as the topsoil dries out. In winter, in a cool room, the frequency and abundance of watering decreases. In no case should the earthen clod be allowed to dry out! Otherwise, the leaves may fly around from the houseplant, dry into the twigs. If the soil is still dry, place the pot for a few minutes in a container of water. Also, do not allow the soil to be wet all the time. Constant waterlogging of the soil can lead to root rot. Water for irrigation is used separated during the day.

Top dressing myrtle. From March to August, once a week or two, the flower must be fed with fertilizers for flowering plants. If the myrtle is grown as a bonsai and you are not interested in its flowering, then fertilizers are used that are intended for decorative leafy plants.

rest period. Myrtle definitely needs a period of rest, during which he gains strength for flowering and growing foliage. Therefore, in winter, the plant is grown for three months in cool rooms. You can put a flower on a closed loggia, where the air temperature does not drop below +5 degrees. At this time, watering should be scarce, and fertilizing and spraying should be stopped. In a warm room, the dormant period of myrtle lasts about one and a half months.

pruning myrtle. To give the tree the desired shape, pruning should be included in the care of the myrtle at home. It can be carried out in early spring and after flowering. To get a tree, side shoots are cut. A plant in the form of a bush will turn out by trimming the upper branches. If you do not cut the myrtle completely, then it will take on a pyramidal shape. However, it should be remembered that frequent pinching negatively affects the formation of flowers, so it is not recommended to get carried away with pruning. If flowering is not too important for you, then you can experiment and pinch the branches. Houseplant myrtle grows quickly, so its appearance can be changed every year.

Myrtle transplant

It should be transplanted into new soil one to two weeks after purchase. In the future, young plants are transplanted every year, and adults - one glad in two to three years. The new pot should be 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. The substrate can be bought at the store or prepared independently. The following soil mixtures are suitable:

1. Sand, peat, turf and humus soil. Everything is taken in equal parts and mixed.
2. Sand, turf, humus, clay, peat soil (1:2:2:2:2).

At the bottom of the pot, it is imperative to pour drainage, which is covered with a small layer of nutrient soil. The tree is carefully removed along with a clod of earth from the old pot and placed on a layer of soil in a new container. The roots around and above are covered with soil. The base of the trunk does not need to fall asleep. The transplanted myrtle must be watered immediately.

Pests and diseases of myrtle

Pests

With proper care and maintenance of the plant in favorable conditions for it, no diseases and pests will affect it.

High temperatures and dry air are favorable conditions for the appearance of scale insects, thrips, spider mites, mealybugs, and whiteflies on the leaves of the tree. All of them feed on the juice of the plant, which is why they begin to dry, turn yellow and fly around the leaves. Treatment with Aktellik or Aktara will help get rid of pests. These are insecticidal preparations that should be diluted and used strictly according to the instructions.

This situation can arise if the rules for caring for myrtle at home were not followed. Myrtle leaves dry for the following reasons:

1. Irregular watering. If you forget to water the plant, and the soil often dries up, then not only the leaves, but also the twigs will begin to dry.
2. Low air humidity. In winter, the air temperature for the flower should not exceed +18 degrees. In a room with working heating radiators, the air becomes dry, which is why the leaves begin to dry and fall off. Spray the foliage in a dry and warm room more often and more abundantly. Keep it on a tray with wet expanded clay, pebbles or moss, but so that the water does not reach the bottom of the pot.

myrtle leaves fall

This situation may arise in the following cases:

• lack of light;
• high air temperature;
• the plant stands in a draft.

With excessive lighting (in summer on the southern windows), the leaves lose their luster, turn yellow and curl. If there is not enough light for the plant, then the stems are drawn out, and the leaves grow pale and small.

As you can see, all the problems when growing myrtle at home arise due to improper flower placement or care errors. Take care of the plant according to all the rules described above, and it will delight you with a beautiful, lush crown and flowering.

Cuttings are the most reliable and best way to propagate myrtle. Its seeds quickly lose their germination, in addition, with seed propagation, flowering will occur only after three years.

Cuttings can be taken from friends after the formative pruning of the tree. It is best if they are from the middle or lower part of the crown. Rooting cuttings should be carried out in January, February and July. For cuttings, semi-lignified shoots of the current year are selected, 8 to 10 cm long.

Procedure for rooting cuttings:

1. The lower leaves are removed from the cut shoot.
2. Large leaves located at the top are shortened by half, and small ones by a third of the length.
3. The lower cut is processed with a root formation stimulator (Heterouxin or Kornevin).
4. A wide and low container is being prepared.
5. The soil for rooting should consist of sand and sphagnum (0.5:1) or sand and leafy soil (0.5:1).
6. The cuttings are placed in moist soil and covered with a glass jar or other transparent cap.
7. The containers are placed in a shady place with an air temperature in the range of + 17 ... + 20 degrees.
8. So that the soil does not turn sour, the shelter needs to be removed for a short time every day.

In about a month, the roots will grow, and the cuttings are planted in separate pots with a diameter of about 7 cm. The same soil mixture is used. Care for young seedlings consists in regularly moistening the soil and spraying the foliage. It is necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out.

When the cuttings grow up, which will happen in about a year, the plants are transplanted into pots, the diameter of which should be 9 cm. Take care of rooted and grown bushes in the same way as for adult trees.

Myrtle properties

The plant has healing properties, as its fruits and young shoots contain active substances and essential oils with antibacterial action. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the tree in children's rooms and bedrooms, where it will purify the air of bacteria and germs, protect health, and help cope with influenza and acute respiratory infections.

Myrtle tinctures help treat cough, purulent otitis media, staphylococcal infections, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, and diabetes mellitus.

Myrtle - signs

In different countries, the cultivation of indoor myrtle is treated differently.

In Europe, it is believed that the tree brings love and peace to the house. But this is possible if the hostess planted the bush and all family members are proud of their beautiful pet. The myrtle is carefully looked after so that the flower does not die. Otherwise, along with the dead tree, luck will leave the house.

Muslims do not keep myrtle in their homes, because according to their signs, it is believed that this plant condemns young girls and boys to loneliness.

We take care of the myrtle correctly

How to properly care for myrtle at home

Myrtle - This is a very interesting plant, belonging to the corresponding Myrtle family. It grows in the Mediterranean countries with subtropical climatic conditions. In general, the name itself is of Greek origin and is derived from the word "incense". This name is explained by the fact that the leaves and flowers of this plant contain essential oils which emit a very pleasant and soothing aroma.

Outwardly myrtle - This is a beautiful small tree with elongated and pointed leaves located opposite. The leaves have a bright green color, their petioles are short.

How to water?

When caring for myrtle, it is very important to ensure regular watering: we must not forget that the plant comes from the subtropics, and therefore loves moisture very much. Along with watering, the tree should be sprayed daily. If the earth is not sufficiently moistened, the plant will begin to turn yellow and dry.

Both spraying and watering should be carried out exclusively with settled water.

In winter, the rules for watering change somewhat: you need to switch to moderate regime, i.e. one watering per week. There is also no need for spraying (unless the tree is left in a warm room).

Lighting

It is best to have myrtle on the south side of the house. In principle, myrtle will grow on the east side, and not even the west. But it is in this place, on the southern windows, that the plant will feel as comfortable as possible and will be able to bloom. At the same time, keep in mind that at noon, especially in summer, the tree should be somewhat shaded. To do this, use a screen or curtain.

Temperature and Humidity

When choosing a temperature regime, the natural habitat of the plant should again be taken into account. For this reason, summer optimal temperature is about 22-24 degrees. It will be useful to take the tree out into the garden or onto the balcony. With the constant presence of myrtle in the apartment, do not forget to ventilate the room.

In winter, it is necessary to reduce the temperature to 10 degrees.

With all this, it is necessary to provide an appropriate level of humidity: in summer it should be quite high.

A little about nutrition

When caring for myrtle, you can safely use comprehensive fertilizers intended for flowering houseplants. In the summer, the optimal feeding frequency is weekly. In winter, this can be done monthly.

Myrtle transplant

The process of transplanting myrtle

Myrtle is a slow growing plant, and therefore it is not recommended to transplant it too often. However, all young trees should be replanted annually, increasing pot volume. Adult plants can be in one pot for about 3-4 years.
The most optimal time for transplantation is the winter period, when the tree is at rest.

The whole transplant process looks like this:

• It is first recommended to dry the earthen ball, for which do not water for several days. This will make it easier to extract the plant;
• Then you simply need to turn the old pot over from the plant and carefully pull out the tree, holding it by the base of the trunk;
• The roots of the plant must be treated with some kind of stimulant, which will improve the survival rate of the myrtle;
• The new pot is filled with expanded clay. Do not forget about drainage;
• Then the substrate is prepared. By the way, both during the initial planting and subsequently, the best substrate option is peat and sod land (30% each), as well as humus and river or sifted sand (20% each);
• The finished substrate is poured into the bottom of the pot;
• The plant is installed in a new pot, covered with a substrate, leveled;
• After transplanting, water the myrtle abundantly until water seeps out of the drainage hole;

After all the stages, the tree is transferred to a shaded place.

Reproduction of myrtle

Myrtle breeding methods

There are two ways of reproduction of myrtle:

• cuttings;
• Seeds.

Propagation by cuttings will occur if the soil temperature reaches 25 degrees. This is extremely important condition.

Reproduction is carried out with the help of apical cuttings.

• The stalk, which has reached a length of 7-9 cm, must be cut from the side shoot. You can also use a shorter cutting (5-7 cm), but in this case it is necessary to cut it off from the main, but not flowering, shoot. The lower leaves must be removed, and the formed cut should be processed using Kornevin.
• The next step is planting cuttings. A mixture of sand and peat is ideal for this purpose. The cuttings are placed in this mixture and covered with a loose film on top. The rooting process takes place at room temperature. Its result occurs approximately 2-3 weeks later.

  After the allotted time, the cuttings can already be planted in separate containers.

Another breeding option is using seeds. This method has a significant drawback: the seeds germinate for a long time. But many are already familiar with such difficulties and may try to grow myrtle in this way. For propagation by seeds, you need to prepare a substrate consisting of peat and sand. The mixture is also recommended to sprinkle a little soil. The substrate and soil are covered with plastic wrap on top.

For successful germination, two conditions are important:

• Provide diffused light;
• Monitor the temperature, which should be maintained at 21 degrees.

It is equally important to form a crown with this method of reproduction:

You need to pinch the sprout at a certain height. Flowering of young plants should be expected in the second or third year.

Those wishing to receive myrtle flowers should know that for this they should not cut the plant in the spring. In general, it is better to postpone pruning until flowering is over.

The flowering period is the beginning and middle of summer, June-July. To make flowers beautiful, two rules must be observed:

• Provide proper care for the tree;
• Provide constant access to fresh air for the plant.

Improper care will lead to the development of diseases, and in this case, it will no longer be necessary to talk about flowering. Flowering is not observed even when myrtle is kept in room conditions, where stagnant air is predominant.

The flowers themselves on the tree in question are arranged as follows:

• Or in the leaf axils singly;
• Or being collected in a brush.

Petals are usually 4-6, the flowers themselves are simple and double. The main part of the flowers is located in the upper part of the plant, since that is where the best illumination is.

Diseases and pests of myrtle, methods of dealing with them

To begin with, we note that there are no special diseases or serious problems in myrtle. But individual ailments can still sometimes occur.

For example, in conditions of poorly drained soil, a tree can develop root rot. Some problems may arise due to non-compliance with the key rules of care: providing insufficient lighting, poor watering. It is important to always take into account the fact that myrtle is a very whimsical plant, and therefore each condition for its care must be observed as accurately as possible.

Also, the tree is often attacked by insects: it can be thrips, scale insects, spider mites, aphids. For this reason, you need to carefully monitor the condition of the plant and, if there are any negative signs, carefully examine it for the presence of insects. This requirement is especially relevant in relation to old plants.

If there were pests discovered, then you need to purchase the appropriate drug to combat them. Such a tool must be used in strict accordance with instruction.

Frequently Asked Questions on Growing Myrtle

Questions most often asked by readers

Those who grow myrtle quite often have certain questions. We will consider the most common of them, and also try to give the most detailed answers.

• Myrtle not growing?

The lack of tree growth can be associated with various factors. Here it is necessary, firstly, to take into account that myrtle, in principle, does not grow too fast. In addition, one should not expect active growth from him at the very first stages of development. For the rest, try to provide quality care and feed the plant well.

• Myrtle not blooming?

The tree will not bloom in several cases. So, if you cut a plant in the spring, then you should forget about flowering this year. There will be no flowers even when the myrtle is kept in a poorly ventilated room.

• Are myrtle leaves withering?

In winter, myrtle may be left without leaves if the temperature of its content is too high for a dormant period. A similar picture can be observed if the basic rules relating to watering the plant, spraying it and feeding it are not followed. So, the leaves of a tree can wither when water stagnates in the pan. Or maybe, on the contrary, with excessive drying of the soil between waterings. Among other things, the cause of leaf wilting can be an excess of sunlight. Therefore, when the first signs of myrtle wilting are found, it is important to move it to a place protected from sunlight, adjust watering and start spraying more often.

• Is he poisonous?

Myrtle leaves are slightly poisonous. Prolonged exposure to substances contained in the leaves can cause nausea and headaches in the most sensitive people.

Video on caring for myrtle at home

Thus, when caring for myrtle, it is important to understand that this plant does not accept any deviation from the key rules for caring for it. We must not forget about the frequency and abundance of watering, about spraying, about top dressing. It is necessary to provide the plant with an influx of fresh air. Finally, periodically it is necessary to transplant it. If you follow all the tips and take into account all the nuances, you can fully enjoy the beauty of this unusual tree.