Garden Use
Common myrtle (Myrtus communis) is a popular evergreen shrub in ornamental gardens, offering year-round interest through its fragrant leaves, pretty white flowers, and dark black berries. It is a superb plant for wall and shrub borders in Mediterranean, city, and cottage gardens, growing well with catmint, lavender, and greater masterwort.
Symbolism
Love, joy, remembrance, innocence, purity, good luck, prosperity
Interesting Facts
Common myrtle has high symbolic value in the Jewish faith and is used in the Jewish Sukkot Festival as determined by its mention in the Torah. In this ceremony, the common myrtle branch is woven together with fruit of the citron tree, a branch of the willow tree, and a branch of the date palm tree. The four tied species are then waved together as part of the ceremony in service to God.
Name Story
Common myrtle: The plants from Myrtus genus are called Myrtle. It is one of the four species used by Jews in religious ceremonies at the Sukkot Festival. Since it is widely planted everywhere, it is called common myrtle.
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