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Myrtle-of-the-river Calyptranthes zuzygium
Myrtle-of-the-river is an uncommon shrubby tree native to hammocks of Tropical
America, the Caribbean, and South Florida.
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A member of the myrtle family Myrtaceae, she can
be identified, along with her sister, spicewood Calyptranthes pallens,
by the two new opposite leaves at the end of each branchlet. |
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| Like most other myrtle family relatives, they
have leaves which are fragrant when crushed. The pleasantly-scented
flowers are a nectar source for pollinators. Edible berries attract
birds. |
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The buds form in April, and the oh, so sweet, spicy
flowers arrive in May. |
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Blueberry-like fruits ripen from red to dark blue during the
rainy season.
Myrtle, she is such a fashion innovator, always changing her look before
you have time to get tired of her. |
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While the fruits are edible, they are of limited
palatability. They are best left for the birds, which will come in
small, well-behaved groups to feed and not cause any trouble. |
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In the landscaping, myrtle-of-the-river can be kept full
to the base, as in the photo below, or trimmed up into a small tree, as at
right. Plant in full to partial sun. |
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They can be kept pruned at a height of 6'-10', or allowed to
naturalize, eventually reaching a mature height of 20 feet.
You can be an
innovator yourself and plant one of these as a street tree. It would
be especially effective in a typical urban front yard where there is not
enough space to support the root system of a large tree. |
| We have them available in both
3-gal.and 7-gal. pots. |
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