Herb: Grey Myrtle


Latin name: Backhousia myrtifolia


Family: Myrtaceae (Myrtle Family)



Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
12 m
(39 feet)

Flowering:
May


Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of Grey Myrtle:

Gullies and the margins of rainforests.

Other uses of the herb:

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves. The uses are not specified. Wood - hard, tough, strong, close grained. Used for tool handles, wheels, construction etc.

Propagation of Grey Myrtle:

Seed - surface sow in spring or autumn in a greenhouse and keep the compost moist until germination takes place. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame.

Cultivation of the herb:

Gullies and the margins of rainforests.

Medicinal use of Grey Myrtle:

None known

Known hazards of Backhousia myrtifolia:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.