Myrsine africana – African Boxwood – Cape Myrtle –

Description

Myrsine – There are about 5 species of dioecious, evergreen, many branched, upright to rounded shrubs and small trees in this genus. They occur in forest and scrub in Africa, the Azores, the Himalayas, China and New Zealand. They are grown mainly for their alternate, linear or lance shaped to rounded, usually smooth edged, leathery, sometimes glossy, mid or dark green leaves. Inconspicuous male and female flowers are produce in umbels on separate plants, both are needed to produce fruit. Grow in a shrub border, against a wall, or in a rock, heather, or woodland garden. Grow in any humus rich, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light, dappled shade. Prone to leaf spot. M. africana – African Boxwood – Cape Myrtle – This slow growing, densely leafy, upright shrub from the Azores, Eastern and Southern Africa, China, and the Himalayas grows 4-8′ feet tall and half as wide. It produces narrowly obovate to elliptic, aromatic, glossy, dark green leaves, to 3/4″ long. In late spring it bears umbels of 3-6 tiny, yellow brown flowers. Female plants bear spherical, pale blue fruit, 1/4″ across. Excellent in an informal hedge or against a warm, sunny wall. Zones 9-10