Myrtle

lat. Myrtus

Group: Flowers

Odor profile: intense herbal-like aromatic-floral note with a Mediterranean profile to it

MYRTLE

Botanical Name – Myrtus communis
Family – Myrtaceae
Common Name – Bride’s Myrtle, Roman Myrtle, Sweet Myrtle., Sweet Roman Myrtle, True Myrtle, True Roman Myrtle, Myrtle, Clove Myrtle, Spanish Myrtle, Vilaayati Mehndi (folk) and habb-ul-Aas (unani).

HABITATS

Myrtus communis is native to Southern Europe and North Asia. However, it is thought to originate from Iran and Afghanistan. M. communis has been cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region since the beginning of recorded history.

BOTANY

The plant can reach up to 4.5 m in height, but is smaller when regularly pruned. All the parts of the plant are scented. The plant has small deep-green leaves, white flowers and small dark fruits. The true myrtle is a showy evergreen shrub that is relatively frost hardy. The star-like flower has five petals and sepals, and numerous stamina. The petals are usually white in color. The leaves are lanceolate and strongly scented when crushed. It blooms with white, sweet-scented flowers followed by bluish black berries. It can be grown in sun or partial shade; well-drained soil is essential.

ESSENTIAL OIL

Myrtle leaves and twigs produce pale yellow to orange essential oil. Myrtle essential oil has a clear, fresh scent that is slightly camphoraceous, i.e. just like Eucalyptus.

EXTRACTION

Myrtle essential oil is obtained through steam distillation of the flowers as well as the leaves and the twigs of myrtle.

NOTE
Middle to Top

Please see the list of perfumes with myrtle in the Fragrantica encyclopedia. A variety of perfumes and colognes feature myrtle as a note.

BLENDS WELL WITH

Myrtle essential oil blends with a whole range of essential oils such as: Rosemary, Benzoin, Bergamot, Elemi, Eucalyptus, Black Pepper, Cedar Wood, Frankincense, Myrrh, Neroli, Rose, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Clary Sage, Coriander, Melissa, Rosewood and Ylang-Ylang oil etc.

ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS

The leaves contain tannins (Pyrogallol derivative), flavonoids such as quercetin, catechin, myricetin derivatives and volatile oils. The fruits of myrtle mostly contain volatile oils, tannins, sugars, flavonoids and organic acids such as citric and malic acids. The most important constituents of myrtle essential oil (up to 0.8% in the leaves) are myrtenol, myrtenol acetate, limonene (23%), linalool (20%), pinene (14%), cineol (11%), furthermore, p-cymene, geraniol, nerol and the phenylpropanoid, methyleugenol.

USES IN MYTH AND RITUAL

Myrtle is the symbol of divine generosity. According to one interpretation, when “Adam was expelled from Paradise he was allowed to take with him wheat, chief of foods; a date, chief of fruits; and myrtle, chief of scented flowers.” The bark and roots are used to tan the finest Turkish and Russian leathers, which they wrap in a delicate scent. This scent is used in perfumes, soaps and potpourris and can be enjoyed in your garden, too.

In the mythology and the rituals of the ancient Greeks, the myrtle plant was associated with Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Further, the brave soldiers, athletes and nobles were honored with its leaves. Since the Greek goddess Aphrodite hid under a myrtle bush, myrtle has stood for beauty, purity and love. Garlands of myrtle were worn at weddings in biblical times as a symbol of conjugal love. Brides bedecked themselves with myrtle leaves. Leaves and flowers were major ingredients of Angels Water, a sixteenth-century skin care lotion.

Image of Aphrodite riding a swan (with myrtle wreaths in Erotes' hands from theoi.com)

In Greek mythology and ritual the myrtle was sacred to the goddesses Aphrodite and also“Demeter. Artemidorus asserts that in interpreting dreams “a myrtle garland signifies the same as an olive garland, except that it is especially auspicious for farmers because of Demeter and for women because of Aphrodite. For the plant is sacred to both goddesses."

Myrtle is the garland of Iacchus, according to Aristophanes, and of the victors at the Theban Iolaea, held in honor of the Theban hero Iolaus. In Rome, Virgil explains that “the poplar is most dear to Alcides, the vine to Bacchus, the myrtle to lovely Venus, and his own laurel to Phoebus." At the Veneralia festival, women bathed wearing crowns woven of myrtle branches, and myrtle was used in wedding rituals.

In the Mediterranean, myrtle was symbolic of love and immortality. In their culture, the plant was used extensively and is considered an essential plant.

The ancient Egyptians used to crush the leaves and add them to wine to treat fever and infection. Dioscorides used the same recipe for stomach, bladder and pulmonary infections.

MEDICINAL USES

In past times, ripe fruits (berries) were used as food integrators because of their high
vitamin contents.

The fruit's decoction was used to bath newborns with reddened skin.

The plant is taken internally in the treatment of urinary infections, digestive problems, vaginal discharge, bronchial congestion, sinusitis and dry cough.

In Ayurveda, it is seen as a treatment for cerebral infections, most notably epilepsy. Myrtle has also been used at various times as an astringent, an antiseptic and a decongestant.

The essential oil has many pharmacological properties such as antidiarrheal, antibiotic, antiseptic, aromatic, astringent, balsamic, carminative, haemostatic and tonic.

Plants used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes mellitus represent a valuable alternative to medication in order to control the disease.

Author: Dr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta

Senior Research Fellow
Plant Quarantine Division
National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
Pusa Campus, New Delhi