Family: Myrtaceae

This small genus of evergreen flowering shrubs and trees is native to Australia and New Guinea. They are grown for their attractive, aromatic foliage and small, cup-shaped flowers, with long stamens, and do well in cool subtropical and tropical climates. They make excellent garden specimens and shade trees. Planted outdoors in southern Florida, elsewhere under glass.

Species

Not all are available in the UK. B. anisata, aniseed tree, grows to 20 m (65 ft) in its natural rainforest habitat. When crushed, the foliage has an aniseed smell. It has glossy leaves, 10 cm (4 in) long, and abundant clusters of fragrant whitish pink flowers in spring.

B. citriodora, lemon-scented myrtle or sweet verbena, is a dense, ornamental small tree, between 7 and 10 m (23-33 ft) tall in cultivation. The shiny leaves are velvety beneath, and the showy clusters of cream flowers bloom in late spring and summer. This species has a strong lemon-camphor fragrance and a commercial oil, over 90 per cent citral, is obtained from the leaves. It is slightly frost-sensitive.

B. myrtifolia, scrub myrtle, is a bushy shrub or small tree, growing to 6 m (20 ft) in height. Both the glossy leaves and the clusters of whitish yellow flowers are perfumed. The young growth is softly hairy, as too are the undersides of the leaves. This species is frost-hardy.

B. sciadophora, known as shatter wood, is a bushy shrub or small tree, with blunt, glossy leaves and creamy flower umbels. It grows to a height of about 5 m (16 ft).

Cultivation

In frost-prone areas, grow in pots of soil-based potting compost in a cool greenhouse. Provide good light but shade from strong sun. Outdoors they enjoy rich, moist soil. Propagate from cuttings of half-ripened wood taken in autumn. Dust cuttings with rooting hormone and place in a coarse sand and peat or vermiculite mix of 3:1. Cuttings strike easily.

Climate

Zone 10.