Herb latin name: Myrteola nummularia


Synonyms: Myrtus nummularia


Family: Myrtaceae (Myrtle Family)



Edible parts of Myrteola nummularia:

Fruit - raw or cooked. A sweet and agreeable flavour. The fruit is up to 1cm in diameter, it has a soft juicy flesh and a delicious slightly aromatic flavour. It is produced in late autumn and early winter, and is a very valuable fruit at this time of the year. The leaves are a tea substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
10 cm
(4 inches)

Flowering:
May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Raised parts of bogs, especially with sphagnum.

Other uses of Myrteola nummularia:

Suitable for ground cover when spaced about 45cm apart each way, the plants form a carpet of low branches that root as they spread. Plants are a bit slow to become established and will need weeding for their first few years after planting.

Propagation of the herb:

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow it in late winter in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle 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, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Pot up in the autumn and overwinter in a cold frame. Plant out in late spring. High percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, 7 - 12cm with a heel, November in a shaded and frost free frame. Plant out in late spring or early autumn. High percentage. Layering.

Cultivation of Myrteola nummularia:

Raised parts of bogs, especially with sphagnum.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Myrteola nummularia:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.