Myrtus communis Myrtle Related species:
|
The perfume eau d'ange is
distilled from myrtle flowers and leaves to scent soaps and cosmetics.
Leaves are added to meat dishes, and the fruits are fermented into alcohol
drinks. Medicinally, crushed myrtle leaves are applied to external wounds,
rashes and skin irritations. The juice of berries are good for stomach
and digestive ailments. Dried buds and fruits are used as a peppery condiment,
and the roots and bark are used for tanning leather.
Myrtle grows wild on Mediterranean scrubland and seashores. It prefers fertile, well-drained, acid soil in full sun. Myrtle should be pruned to shape after flowering, and can be propagated from cuttings in summer. |