Myrtus ugni

Myrtus ugni, also known as Ugni molinae, Eugenia ugni, or Chilean Guava, is a small evergreen bush native to South America that is well adapted to our mild oceanic regions, where it will produce delicious small fruits reminiscent of wild strawberries. They were said to be a favourite of Queen Victoria. This somewhat tender plant remains largely underutilised in our gardens, although its cultivation presents no difficulties. Its late spring flowering of small, pink, bell-shaped blooms, emerges on small, glossy, elegant, highly aromatic foliage that is decorative all year round. Plant in cool, well-drained soil with no excess of limestone, in full sun or partial shade, either in the ground or in a large pot.

Myrtus ugni is a small bush that reaches 2m (7ft) in height in its natural environment, but rarely exceeds 1.1m (4ft) in all directions in our climates. It belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which is found in the wild in Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina, on the irrigated slopes of the Andes and not far from rivers. In Europe, the finest specimens grow in Irish gardens.

Its growth rate is slow, and its habit is naturally dense, ramified, slightly spreading, and very bushy. The evergreen leaves are shiny, ovate, and leathery. They emit a fragrance of strawberry and spice when crushed. They are initially purple before becoming dark green, and measure no more than 1.5cm (1in) long and 1cm (0.4in) wide. The bush is self-fertile and highly attractive to bees. It flowers generously in June. The small, globular, white to pink, fragrant flowers have 4 to 5 petals which are 1cm (0.4in) wide. They appear in the axils of the leaves, on the current year's shoots, and are followed in autumn by the formation of small, round, fleshy, edible, and aromatic fruits, from September to November. The fruits are initially dark red, lightening as they ripen. Their sweet flavour is reminiscent of wild strawberries, guava, and kiwi, and is enhanced by a resinous and spicy note. They can be eaten raw, used in jam or pastries, and are used in the production of a Chilean liqueur called Murtado.

Hardy to approximately -8°C (17.6°F), Myrtus ugni is an ornamental plant that is both charming and delicious in cold climates. In a greenhouse or conservatory, it will create an extremely decorative quartet with an orange tree, a Yuzu, and a mimosa, evoking landscapes with exotic charms and scents. In mild climates, it can be used as a low hedge - it tolerates pruning well - or in a flower bed, or even in a well-sheltered orchard, alongside blueberries, raspberries, and the May Berry. It can also be planted in an evergreen hedge, accompanied by a sarcococca, a spring-flowering broom, and dwarf rhododendrons in non-limestone soil, or red-flowered callistemons (Callistemon citrinus 'Splendens').