How to Grow and Care for Milkworts

Myrtle-leaf milkwort (Polygala myrtifolia) is a robust widely branching shrub that will grow to 1.8 m tall. It blooms in spring with purple, butterfly-shaped flowers that cluster at the tip of the stem. Tolerant of poor soils, drought and exposure to salt. Seeds from the plant remain viable for years and will germinate after wildfire.

Originally from Europe, common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris) has been introduced to Asia and the USA, where it grows in a variety of habitats including grasslands, bushy slopes, and even dunes. The plant sports lovely flowers which bloom in late spring or early summer. Common milkwort was once associated with the Scandanavian goddess, Freya, and that myth was appropriated into the local version of Christianity as the religion spread.

Orange milkwort received its common name in connection with its bright orange blooms. However, its Latin Name, Polygala lutea, refers to the color yellow, as the dried flowers have a yellowish hue. This wildflower is native to the United States.

Sweet pea bush is a shrublet with beautiful pink-to-violet flowers and is a prolific bloomer. It is used in gardening as well as, to an extent, in traditional medicine. However, do not let the name of this pretty plant fool you - despite being called Sweet pea bush, it is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

There are thin rhizomes. The hard stem branches off at the base and enters the ground, and the upper part is slanted and the height is 10 to 30 cm. The stem has bent hair. Leaves are alternating, leaf blades are 1 to 3 cm long, 3 to 15 mm wide, oval, elliptical, wide needle, tip is blunt and has short protrusions, base is round, edges are all edges . The petiole is very short. The flower is purple and grows above the leaf bud or against the leaf, giving a total inflorescence of 1 to 3 cm in length. There are 5 sepals, 2 scissors are purple and petals like 5 to 7 mm in length at first, but increase to around 1 cm after the flower and turn green. become. There are 3 petals, the base is 6 to 7 mm in length, and the lower one has a tufted appendage with a cleaved tip. There are 8 stamens in the place where the petals are cocoon-shaped, and the buds are yellow. There are two ovaries at the top. The fruit is a flat, round and round fruit with a diameter of 7 to 8 mm and wings. The seeds are dark brown and are 2.5 mm long.