Overview

Myrsine is a bushy, columnar upright shrubs in the genus Myrsine, part of the Primulaceae family, with evergreen foliage. Myrsine grows best in full sun and partial shade, and tolerates most soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H3. Suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, garden edging and hedging and screens. It is native to Afghanistan, Andaman Is., Angola, Antipodean Is., Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Assam, Azores, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Bismarck Archipelago, Bolivia, Borneo, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Central American Pacific Is., Chatham Is., China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, East Himalaya, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Florida, Free State, French Guiana, Guatemala, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Hainan, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Japan, Jawa, Kenya, Kermadec Is., KwaZulu-Natal, Laos, Leeward Is., Lesotho, Lesser Sunda Is., Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Maluku, Marquesas, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New South Wales, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Nicaragua, Nicobar Is., Nigeria, Norfolk Is., Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Ogasawara-shoto, Pakistan, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Is., Puerto Rico, Queensland, Rwanda, Samoa, Santa Cruz Is., Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Society Is., Solomon Is., Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tibet, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Tuamotu, Tubuai Is., Turks-Caicos Is., Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Venezuelan Antilles, Victoria, Vietnam, Wallis-Futuna Is., West Himalaya, Western Australia, Windward Is., Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

About

Myrsine is an evergreen shrub in the Primulaceae with a well-branched, columnar upright habit. It suits sheltered positions on east-, south- or west-facing sites and tolerates loam, sand or clay soils across a wide pH range. Plant in moist but well-drained ground and expect reliable foliage through the year. Flowers appear between May and July.

About the genus

Myrsine is a genus of flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. It was formerly placed in the family Myrsinaceae before this was merged into the Primulaceae. It is found nearly worldwide, primarily in tropical and subtropical areas.

Wikipedia contributors, "Myrsine", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Myrsine

In the garden

Myrsine is a genus of evergreen shrubs in the Primulaceae that has a very wide native distribution across parts of Africa, Asia, the Americas and many Pacific islands. In cultivation it is grown for its persistent foliage and upright, well-branched form rather than showy blooms. Flowering takes place from May to July. Sit Myrsine where it receives full sun or partial shade on an east-, south- or west-facing aspect and where it is sheltered from the worst of exposed winds. It will grow in loam, sand or clay provided the soil stays moist but drains freely; soil pH is not restrictive and ranges from acid through neutral to alkaline. Its UK hardiness is H3, which translates as borderline outdoors in cooler areas and best placed in milder, protected locations. Use Myrsine for city and courtyard planting, as a clipped or informal hedge, or as an upright screening shrub along boundaries. Because it keeps foliage year-round it performs a screening role in small urban plots as well as larger gardens. Flowers are produced in the period from May to July.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Myrsine

Sunlight

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil type

Loam, Sand, Clay

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained

Aspect

East-facing, South-facing, West-facing

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness

H3

Plant details

Myrsine size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Shrubs

Habit

Bushy, Columnar upright

Foliage

Evergreen

Suggested uses

City and courtyard gardens, Garden edging, Hedging and screens

Native to

Afghanistan, Andaman Is., Angola, Antipodean Is., Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Assam, Azores, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belize, Bismarck Archipelago, Bolivia, Borneo, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caroline Is., Cayman Is., Central American Pacific Is., Chatham Is., China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Is., Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, East Himalaya, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Florida, Free State, French Guiana, Guatemala, Gulf of Guinea Is., Guyana, Hainan, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Japan, Jawa, Kenya, Kermadec Is., KwaZulu-Natal, Laos, Leeward Is., Lesotho, Lesser Sunda Is., Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Maluku, Marquesas, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New South Wales, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Nicaragua, Nicobar Is., Nigeria, Norfolk Is., Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Ogasawara-shoto, Pakistan, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Is., Puerto Rico, Queensland, Rwanda, Samoa, Santa Cruz Is., Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Society Is., Solomon Is., Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Suriname, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tibet, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Tuamotu, Tubuai Is., Turks-Caicos Is., Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Venezuelan Antilles, Victoria, Vietnam, Wallis-Futuna Is., West Himalaya, Western Australia, Windward Is., Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Myrsine

Propagation

Seed, Semi-ripe cuttings

Pest resistance

Generally pest-free

Disease resistance

Generally disease-free

Frequently asked questions